A Brief History

One of the oldest operating businesses in Crane, Missouri, is the Crane Chronicle/Stone County Republican.  This newspaper observed its 100^th year on June 19, 1986.  For that issue the Volume Number was 100 ~ Issue Number 1.

Although the Crane Chronicle/Stone County Republican is not 100 years old, through a series of mergers this newspaper has served Stone County and the surrounding area for over 100 years.

The Stone County News Oracle was founded in Galena in 1886.  It was the leading newspaper in the county and one source said it had purchased the Oracle, which may have published as early as 1884; so the newspaper may be older than records indicate.

The Crane Chronicle, which was established in Crane in 1904, some years later purchased the Stone County News Oracle and the two merged.  Leon Fredrick, who purchased the Crane Chronicle in 1965 and published both papers, founded the Stone County Republican in 1957.

The present owners published the two newspapers until 1982 when they were merged into the current Crane Chronicle/Stone County Republican.  Emory Melton is the President of Stone County Publishing Company, Inc.

Country correspondents have played, and continue to play, an important role in the success of this newspaper.  The old printing components that were used in the early years are now housed at the Barry County Museum located at Cassville, Missouri.  All issues of the newspapers are on microfilm at The State Historical Society of Missouri in Columbia.

If you know of any additional interesting historic facts or stories (including early photos), please email the editor.  Thank you.