| Wrangell Sentinel | |
| Motto: | Oldest Continuously Published Newspaper in Alaska |
| Type: | Weekly newspaper |
| Foundation: | 1902 |
| Owners: | Larry Persily |
| Founder: | A. V.R. Snyder |
| Publisher: | Anne and Rod Loesch |
| Language: | English |
| Circulation: | 700 |
The Wrangell Sentinel is a weekly newspaper founded in 1902 in Wrangell, Alaska. The newspaper remains in publication with only a few short periods of inactivity. It is the oldest continuously published newspaper in Alaska. The paper covered potlach traditional celebrations.[1]
The paper began in 1902 with the first issue published November 2 as the Alaska Sentinel. In 1903 it was listed in the Governor of Alaska's report to the Department of the Interior as one of the newspapers in Alaska[2] and again in 1904.[3] A 1906 congressional report from the U.S. Government Printing office reported the Sentinel was among 23 papers in Alaska in 14 towns.[4]
The paper's name was changed in 1909 when Richard Bushell was induced to takeover the paper.[5] Leonard P. Dawes took over the paper two years later.[5]
August 19, 1920, the editor of the Sentinel, J. W. Pritchett, received a copy of the New York Times sent by plane, the first piece of mail to arrive in Alaska by plane.[6]
Mrs. Pritchett took over running the paper in 1930 when her husband became ill.[5] She was the paper's editor and publisher for 8 years.[5]
Lew Williams Jr. and his wife Winnie Williams ran the paper for many years until 1965.[7] He also published other newspapers in Alaska and was also the mayor of Petersburg, Alaska.[8]
The paper went through a brief bankruptcy in 1995 before its former publisher, who was also the paper's largest creditor, took back control.[9] Former Sentinel employee Jamie Bryson launched the Petersburg Press in 1974
Charles Willis, a former president of Alaska Airlines, also ran the paper for some time.[10]
The current publishers are Anne and Ron Loesch.