Missouri Press Association

Foundation NewsHeritage Prints

Missouri Press is repeating one of the first fund-raisers for the Missouri Press Foundation, which was founded in 1984.

Sets of four Missouri Press Heritage Collection art prints by James Burkhart will be given to anyone who contributes or pledges $ 1,000 or more to the Foundation. Pledges can be paid over four years. Only 200 of the sets were produced for the initial offering. No more have been or will be produced. The prints are signed and numbered by the artist. The colorful reproductions are printed on fine paper, 16x20 inches, unframed. The originals for the pictures hang in the MPA conference room in Columbia.

The first 'Wilderness News' Newspaper

It depicts the small log cabin printing shop of the Missouri Intelligencer and Boonslick Advertiser, started April 23, 1819, by Nathaniel Patten, Jr., at Franklin in what is now Howard County.

The Country Newspaper Office

The typical Missouri country newspaper office in the late 1930s served as headquarters for two businesses: the newspaper office and job printing shop.

Press Arrives in St. Louis

On July 12, 1808, Missouri residents had their first opportunity to read a newspaper published in their own community when Joseph Charless pulled copies of the Missouri Gazette from his Ramage hand-operated printing press. The Gazette was the first newspaper printed west of the Mississippi River.

Missouri's Newspaper Martyr

Wesley L. "Uncle Wes" Robertson, editor of the Gallatin Democrat and 31st president of the Missouri Press Association, was shot and killed at his desk Dec. 23, 1919, by a former Gallatin city clerk. The popular Missouri editor was the first president of the Northwest Missouri Press Association.

Remember, this is a limited edition collection of prints. Only 200 sets were produced. Your contribution of $ 1,000 or more to the Missouri Press Foundation is 100% tax deductible, and you can pay your pledge over four years.