The Snowflake Herald

The Snowflake Herald, published by Robert C. Smith starting in 1913, covered the town of Snowflake in northeastern Arizona. Editor H.B. Thompson described the paper’s purpose as being politically independent and aiming to build up Snowflake and Navajo County. A description of Snowflake was included under the masthead: “Population of Snowflake 700. Surrounding population about 16,000. Composed of a prosperous farming and stock-growing community. Annual sunshine 90 per cent…” Above the masthead, the paper proclaimed: “Largest Circulation in Navajo County” and “A Modern Equipped Printing House.”

The Herald was published weekly, offering community news about Snowflake and surrounding towns. Snowflake had been settled by Mormon pioneers, and the newspaper regularly featured information about the Snowflake Stake Academy, which had been established by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The paper also contained agricultural news, a column on livestock and ranching, and advertisements with images of cattle brands. In 1913, the possibility of the railroad being constructed near Snowflake was front page news. Later, train schedules were printed in the paper. It also included news about elections, a literary column, baseball scores, and more.

In 1914, the Herald was involved in an editorial feud with The Holbrook News [LCCN: sn 95060791] and The Winslow Mail [LCCN: sn 96060765]. The Herald claimed that the county made payments to The Holbrook News while Sidney Sapp, who had been its publisher but was now Navajo County Superior Court Judge, still had a financial interest in the paper. The Mail said the Herald publisher was “on the danger line of libel,” and both the Mail and the News printed Judge Sapp’s personal statement denying any wrongdoing. In the back-and-forth, the Herald accused the Mail of attempting to “white wash” Sapp, and the Mail replied: “The exudations of a skunk would be attar of roses compared with the odor that emanates from the Snowflake Herald.” But a couple of years later, the Mail defended the Herald when a questionable county printing contract was awarded to the News, also stating that Judge Sapp had ordered that no legal notices should be published in the Herald. The Mail questioned whether Sapp discriminated against the Herald because its owner was Mormon and called for recall of the judge. The Holbrook News replied with a nasty attack on both papers.

The Herald saw a string of editors over the years. When the publisher died in 1920, his wife Sarah Tenney Smith took over as owner. The Holbrook Tribune [LCCN: sn 95060792] described her as “a capable woman with lots of hustle…she will make a success of the publication.” Columbus Giragi, who owned several other Arizona newspapers, purchased the paper in 1942. The Snowflake Herald then ceased publication but was resurrected in 1963 by publishers V.P. and J. Morris Richards. The Arizona Republic reported that “Snowflake citizens…are happy to again have a hometown newspaper.” The paper changed hands several times until 1969 when Paul and June Barger merged it with the Holbrook paper as the Holbrook Tribune-News and Snowflake Herald [LCCN: sn 95060795]. That iteration of the paper continues to be published today by their son, Matthew Barger, as the Tribune News.

Essay provided by University of Arizona Libraries.