Lake City Leader

Weekly Lake City times (Lake City, Minn.) 1861-1865  Browse the title

Lake City leader (Lake City, Minn.) 1865-1881  Browse the title

Review (Lake City, Minn.) 1881-1882  Browse the title

Lake City graphic (Lake City, Minn.) 1882-1887  Browse the title

Graphic sentinel (Lake City, Minn.) 1887-1910  Browse the title

Lake City graphic-Republican (Lake City, Minn.) 1910-1936  Browse the title

The Weekly Lake City Times was published in Lake City, Minnesota, a town located on the Mississippi River in southeastern Minnesota, on the border of Wabasha and Goodhue counties. The first printing office was located in Winton’s Building on Washington Street in downtown Lake City. The newspaper was established by John McBride, with Oliver D. Eno named as editor and publisher; McBride's son Perry was also on the paper's staff. Issues were published on Saturdays, with the first issue printed on September 28, 1861. Issues contained seven columns and four pages of content, including poetry and local, state, national, and foreign news.

The Times also offered extensive coverage of the U.S. Civil War, through reporting and correspondence. Strongly Republican and Unionist, the slogan for the Times read: "United we stand, divided we fall." In the December 21, 1861 issue, the newspaper argued, "Those in rebellion must be subdued and disarmed by physical force. There must be a hand to hand struggle, and the accumulated strength of the South subdued; any other course seems to be useless."

T.H. Perkins and William James McMaster purchased the paper in July 1865 and renamed it the Lake City Leader beginning with the August 5, 1865 issue. The two served as co-editors and publishers. The Leader continued as a Republican newspaper, its owners stressing that the paper will "occupy no uncertain position, but will be fully committed in favor of the Union, liberty and equal rights." The Leader, however, maintained a respectful relationship with the Wabashaw County Sentinel, the politically Democratic newspaper published in Lake City that debuted in October 1870. 

The Leader initially printed on Saturdays, later switched to Fridays, then Thursdays, then back to Saturdays. Early issues contained seven columns and four pages of content, with local to international news, local market news, school reports, poems, and state legislature news. Perkins sold his half of the newspaper to Dr. E.C. Spaulding in September 1869. A short-lived daily edition of the Leader published for one week in October 1870. In June 1872 Spaulding and McMaster, along with Oliver K. Jones, formed the Leader Printing Company to publish the newspaper. In August 1874, Spaulding left the Leader. Morris C. Russell took over for McMaster in August 1876, due to McMaster's failing health. The Leader was refreshed and expanded in November 1878 to eight pages and six columns of content. With his health partially restored, McMaster returned in October 1879. The following year, McMaster and Jones sold the paper to Alexander C. Jameson and Benjamin Northrup. In March 1881, John A. Leonard, foreman of the newspaper, replaced Jameson as co-proprietor. Shortly afterwards, B. Northrup & Co. was established to serve as publisher. 

After the June 4, 1881 issue the Leader merged with the Lake City Sentinel to form the Review. In September 1882 the paper's name was changed to Lake City Graphic, then in 1887 to Graphic Sentinel, and later to Lake City Graphic-Republican. The paper continues today as Lake City Graphic.