Type | Daily newspaper |
---|---|
Format | Broadsheet |
Owner(s) | Moundsville Echo, LLC |
Founder(s) | James Davis Shaw |
Publisher | Charlie M. Walton |
Founded | 1891 |
Language | English |
Ceased publication | 2024 |
Headquarters | Moundsville, West Virginia |
Circulation | 2,750 |
OCLC number | 13148366 |
The Moundsville Daily Echo was a daily newspaper serving Moundsville, West Virginia and surrounding Marshall County from 1891 to 2024.[1] Published Monday through Friday, excluding holidays, it had a circulation of 2,750 and was owned by Moundsville Echo, LLC.[2] It was the only daily newspaper in Marshall County, and was published by Charles M. Walton.[3]
The Echo was founded in 1891 by James Davis Shaw as the Moundsville Echo, a weekly.[4] In 1896, it went to daily publication.[5] Shaw billed it as an independent paper, featuring the slogan "The news unbiased and unbossed" on the masthead.[6]
On J.D. Shaw's death in 1917, the publication passed to his son, Samuel Craig Shaw.[7] Shaw's politics were largely Democratic, and in those years he was a proponent of barring black voters to ensure a Democratic victory.[8]
The paper was passed down in turn to Samuel Cockayne Shaw in 1951. In 1984, the Echo was up to a circulation of 5,000, published in a nine-column format and adhering to its publisher's penchant for Simplified Spelling.[9] Sam C. Shaw, who was nicknamed the Flying Turtle because of his slow running, was a beloved tinkerer who was known for collecting news via his bike route.[10] He designed and installed several electronic systems in the town, including the fire alarm system, which did not work during its unveiling ceremony. Shaw rigged the system using a toaster and the system worked, and continued to work for several years using the toaster.[10] Sam C. Shaw operated the paper until his death in 1995.[11]
After Shaw's death, the paper was published and edited by Charles "Charlie" L. Walton from 1995 until 2014; he died in 2019 at the age of 78.[12] The paper was then published by his son Charlie M. Walton.[13]
In June 2024, The Echo closed after 133 years in business due to a staff shortage. A handwritten note was left on the paper's office door that read “The Echo Is Permanently Closed Due To Lack of Help.”[14] Walton said he and two part-timers were the paper's only employees. He was unsuccessful in hiring more workers and decided to stop publication.[13]