Ste. Genevieve Herald - Ste. Genevieve, MO

In 1882 German immigrant Joseph A. Ernst started a little four-page weekly, printed in German and in English. The newspaper made a sensation in Ste. Genevieve. The first issue of the Ste. Genevieve Herald was delivered by mail — a free copy bearing the message that the newspaper was being sent “to all the friends whom we can call to memory.” It included an appeal for those who liked the paper to subscribe. They did.

Ernst ran the newspaper with a feisty, aggressive approach for more than three decades, until he finally stepped down in 1916, leaving the leadership of The Herald to his son, Frank J. A. Ernst. Frank ran the paper with his two sons, Frank and Valle, until about 1936.

The final member of the small newspaper dynasty was Katherine Ernst, the widow of the founder’s grandson. In 1969 the paper was sold to Paul Pautler, and for the first time the family-owned and operated paper passed into other hands.

Under Pautler’s leadership the paper was incorporated, and Arthur Meyer, Marvin Harman and Jess Martin took the helm. Shortly after Pautler acquired The Herald, he sold out to Meyer, Harman and Martin, who owned it until 1976, when the newspaper was merged with Ste. Genevieve’s other weekly publication, the Fair Play. Robert Burr and Raymond Melcher joined Meyer, Harman and Martin as owners of the corporation. Later, In 1981, the paper was sold to Eugene Mace, who created the corporate entity Ste. Genevieve Newspapers, Inc. For more than a decade the newspaper was operated by his widow, Janet Mace, with Robert Burr as publisher. In 2013, Ste. Genevieve Media was formed by Editor Toby Carrig and his wife Patricia and closed on the purchase of the newspaper in July of that year. The paper was purchased by Better Newspapers, Inc., of Mascoutah, Illinois, on February 28, 2020.

It continues to be a true “hometown” product — the only paper produced and published in Ste. Genevieve County. Most members of the staff are county residents; many are lifetime members of the local community.

The Herald has changed with the times — moving from hand-set type to high-tech computer systems, and quaint solicitations by purveyors of buggy whips to ads for cell phones.

However, the newspaper continues to be dedicated to printing local news and dealing with local issues; stimulating discussion of local problems and helping find local solutions; promoting the interests of the community … and maintaining an interest in all aspects of community life.