In today’s technologically advanced world, it seems like more and more small-town papers are either closing their doors or having to join the trend of only offering online newspaper editions. Fortunately for the Wagner Post, owner and editor, Barb Pechous, has married the traditional with the modern and offers the Wagner Post in both print and e-edition to better serve her customers’ needs.

The history of the Wagner Post comes from the December 22, 2004 issue of the Wagner Post. The Wagner Post was established in December of 1904 under the name The Wagner Leader. Although it was established in 1904, the first issue of The Wagner Leader was not published until April 5, 1912 under editor, E.C. George. Within a few weeks of the first publication, the newspaper was purchased by Lorenzo Corey and partner Blackman who edited the paper together for four years.

Editors that followed included G. Lynn Hollen (1915), Charles W. Hare (1916), E.W. Owen (1921), Hull (1921), and Earl Dewey (1923). In 1924, Lorenzo Corey once again purchased The Wagner Leader. In 1927, he consolidated it and renamed it The Wagner Eagle. Lorenzo Corey continued to be the editor of the newspaper until his death in 1933, when his son, Leonard E. (L. E.) Corey assumed editor status and the paper’s named changed to The Post. The newspaper once again exchanged hands within the Corey family, when Leonard’s brother, Russell, took over the job in 1940. In 1940, Russell also constructed The Post’s first official building which was built completely out of wood.

The era of the Coreys as owners saw the change from hand set printing (up until 1925) to linotype setting (until 1960) with a Ludlow added later to help produce advertising print. The Ludlow typograph was a hot metal typesetting system used in letterpress printing. The paper continued with Rennie Corey (Russel’s son) as the pressman of the automatic press which came about in 1960. The Post continued to be a part of the Corey family up until 1963 when then owner, Hazel C. Davies (Lorenzo’s daughter) sold The Post to Dora and John Faughender. The Faughenders added a concrete block structure on the west side of the original building. In 1978, a fire destroyed most of the building, which required a new brick structure to be built upon the original foundation.

In October 1989, Donald and Carol Harrell purchased the newspaper and formed Harrell Publications, Inc, publishing the Announcer, Lake Andes Wave, and Wagner Post. When the Harrells were owners, the newspaper building was where the paper is currently located at 209 S Main Avenue.

The Harrells continued to be editors until November of 2000, when they sold the business to Craig and Mary Steensland, who named Jan Woods as the managing editor. Other editors under the Steenslands were Monica Wepking and Barb Pechous. The Steenslands continued to own and publish the newspapers until May 2011, when ownership changed hands to Taboma Publications. At the time of the change in ownership, Barb was the Editor of the three papers. Barb officially bought the Announcer, Lake Andes Wave and Wagner Post in May of 2016 and is the current owner, editor and publisher of the Wagner Post under the umbrella of Pechous Publications, LLC which also includes the Announcer, Avon Clarion, and Lake Andes Wave.

Although much has changed over the last 120 years, the passion and desire to put out a newspaper with quality content and news has not waned. Editor L.E. Corey said it best when he said, “the past is behind us and we are looking confidently into the future. We have ideas and ideals for the future of The Post, and it is our aim and object that the paper shall become more useful than ever as time passes.”