Historic moment for Monroe Monitor

The Monroe Historical Society invites the community on a journey through time as it explores the history of the Monroe Monitor and Valley News, one of the oldest newspapers continuously published in Washington.

The "Voice of the Sky Valley since 1899: exploring the history of the Monroe MonitorGÇ¥ program takes place 6:30 p.m. Thursday, June 23, at the Monroe Library. The presentation will feature former publisher, owner and editor Howard Voland, who will speak about his experiences at the paper during the 1970s and 80s. Voland's father, also Howard, became the editor of the Monroe Monitor in 1951, so the newspaper business became a part of Voland's life at a young age.-á

Voland took over the paper after the unexpected death of his father in 1978, leaving behind a career as an Army captain. In 1990, Voland sold the Monroe Monitor to longtime newsman Ken Robinson, who owned the paper for nearly 20 years. Despite the shift in ownership, Voland remained involved as a writer, penning a variety of horticulture features that drew on his experiences as an avid gardener.

Current Monroe Monitor reporter Chris Hendrickson will be in attendance, to answer questions about how the newspaper operates today.

Wanting to preserve history and make Monroe Monitor archives available to everybody, the Monroe Historical Society has engaged in an extensive digitization project using grant funding and donations. The searchable archives are available on the Small Town Papers website at www.mhs.stparchive.com.