The St. Helens Chronicle originated in 1881 as the Oregon Mist, later renamed to the St. Helens Mist.[4][5][6] In 1933, the Mist bought out the St. Helens Sentinel, which was established in 1926, and the paper was renamed the Sentinel-Mist.[6] In 1936, a paper named the St. Helens Chronicle was started.[6] The Chronicle bought the Sentinel-Mist in 1968 and the combined publication became known as The Sentinel-Mist Chronicle, Columbia County's only newspaper.[6] Later the name became The Chronicle and Sentinel-Mist, finally becoming The Chronicle in 2009.[6][7] That same year the newspaper was sold to Country Media, Inc.[8]
The Clatskanie Chief was founded in 1891 by F. T. Shute.[9] In its early days it offered a bundled subscription with Better Fruit, a publication in Hood River, Oregon.[10] E. W. Conyers, a businessman and a former state legislator, became the controlling owner in 1889. Conyers had been a lifelong Whig, and became a Republican when that party was formed.[11] Arthur Steele purchased the paper in 1922.[9] He was named president of the Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association in 1953.[12] Arthur and his wife Melvina ran the paper until Melvina's death in 1972, when their son Gail took over.[13][9] As of the early 2000s the owner was Deborah Steele Hazen.[14] In 2014, The Clatskanie Chief 's name was changed to simply The Chief.[15] That same year the newspaper was acquired by Country Media, Inc.[16]
In December 2023, Country Media announced The Chronicle and The Chief will merge to create a new weekly newspaper called The Columbia County Chronicle & Chief.[17] The change was made due to declining revenue and difficulty recruiting and retaining experienced staff. Country Media president Steve Hungerford said: “Combining the two newspapers into one was a last-ditch effort to reduce expenses and reestablish profitability." But the effort was unsuccessful and after eight months the paper was closed. Its last issue was published on September 25, 2024.[2][3]
^ abcBagwell, Steve; Stapilus, Randy (2013). New Editions: The Northwest's newspapers as they were, are, and will be. Carlton, Oregon: Ridenbaugh Press. ISBN978-0-945648-10-9. OCLC861618089.