The ''Chillicothe Constitution-Tribune'' is a

daily newspaper A newspaper is a periodical publication containing written information about current events and is often typed in black ink with a white or gray background. Newspapers can cover a wide variety of fields such as politics, business, sports a ...

published Mondays through Saturdays in

Chillicothe, Missouri Chillicothe is a city in the state of Missouri and the county seat of Livingston County, Missouri, United States. The population was 9,107 at the 2020 census. The name "Chillicothe" is Shawnee for "big town", and was named after their ''Chillico ...

, United States. It is owned by Gannett. Founded in 1860 as the weekly ''Chillicothe Constitution'', the paper has been published daily since 1889 (initially as the ''Chillicothe Morning Constitution''), and under its current name since 1930. The newspaper also publishes ''C-T X-Tra'', a free shopper, and ''MyChiliMo'', a free monthly collection of reader-submitted articles and photographs.

History

The weekly ''Chillicothe Constitution'' was founded in 1860 as a Democratic-leaning newspaper. The ''Tribune'', a

Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

-leaning newspaper, was founded in 1868. In the 1880s the Watkins family became publishers of the ''Constitution''. The two newspapers consolidated March 1, 1928. The Watkins family solid it in April 1972 to Inland Industries, Inc., of

Lenexa, Kansas Lenexa is a city in Johnson County, Kansas, United States. It is one of four principal cities of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area and 9th most populated city of Kansas. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 57,434. It is ...

, and Smith-Walls Newspapers, Inc., of

Fort Payne, Alabama Fort Payne is a city in and county seat of DeKalb County, in northeastern Alabama, United States. At the 2020 census, the population was 14,877. European-American settlers gradually developed the settlement around the former fort. It grew rap ...

Clarence Edwin Watkins Clarence Edwin Watkins (July 1, 1894 – November 13, 1944) was a long term editor of the '' Chillicothe Constitution-Tribune''. He was born on July 1, 1894, in Chillicothe, Missouri, to James Edward Watkins and Martha Pearl Ireland. He died on Nov ...

served as the publisher until his death in 1944. Rod Dixon is the current publisher and Catherine Stortz Ripley is the current editor. The newspaper is owned by GateHouse Media.

Jerry Litton Jerry Lon Litton (May 12, 1937 – August 3, 1976) was an American politician from Missouri who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives representing Missouri's 6th congressional district from 1973 until his death in ...

visited the newspaper offices about 8:30 p.m. on August 3, 1976, to check results of the election in which he had won the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate, en route to a victory party in Kansas City. He was killed about a half-hour later during an airplane takeoff at the Chillicothe airport.Tragedy Strike - The Chillicothe Constitution-Tribune - August 4, 1976

Fire

On Christmas Day in 1930, a fire broke out in the office of Dr. Oma Dye, located above the newspaper offices. According to the December 26, 1930, edition of the paper, two patrons were leaving a nearby theater when they saw smoke coming from the building. As the fire department was arriving on the scene Chillicothe Mayor Harry Pardonner, who was also a fireman, was thrown from the truck as the ladder broke free and swung. According to the paper the mayor was "badly bruised" and would be confined to bed for several days. The doctor's office was a total loss while the newspaper offices were damaged by water "putting practically all of the machinery in the shop out of commission and spoiling the supply of print paper on hand." The newspaper's publishers assured their readers that every effort had been made to get that day's edition out via the old method of "setting the type by hand."

Publishers

* Terri Leifeste, current * R. Douglas Pearson Jr., 1972 - 1980 *

, ? through 1944

References

External links

* {{Gannett Publications established in 1860 Newspapers published in Missouri Livingston County, Missouri Chillicothe, Missouri 1860 establishments in Missouri Gannett publications