Wirt County Journal

Founded in 1908 as a Democratic paper by Fred Haverty and George Roberts,^[4][5] it was sold in 1917 to Ross Wilson and C. H. Snodgrass.^[6][7] Wilson, who at various times during his tenure as publisher was also a local teacher and school superintendent,^[8] edited the journal for the next 28 years.^[7]

In 1914, a fire started by a gas explosion wiped out the newspaper's offices along with those of the Elizabeth Messenger, causing $50,000 worth of damage.^[9]

Ross Wilson retired from the business in 1946, turning the paper over to his son, Woodrow "Woody" Wilson,^[10] an Army Air Corps fighter pilot returning from World War II.^[11] During Woody's tenure the paper acquired and merged with the Kanawha News.^[10] By 1960, it was the only newspaper in Wirt County,^[8] a fact made more salient by the county's lack of either a local radio or television station.^[12]

Woody Wilson retired in 1983.^[11]

The staff of the journal has served as local experts on the culture of Wirt County for the national press, particularly during the homecoming of Jessica Lynch,^[13] a Wirt County native.

• List of newspapers in West Virginia