Local News

Did you know that Findlay has had a newspaper since before it was even officially a town? In 1836 Findlay’s first ever newspaper, the Hancock Courier, published its first issue. Findlay had a lot of newspapers after that, and many of the villages had papers of their own as well like Hancock Jeffersonian, Findlay Daily Courier, Morning Republican, Hancock County Herald, The Arlingtonian, Mount Blanchard Journal, and more. You can actually read through these newspapers at the Findlay-Hancock County Public Library!

In 1861, the editor and owner of the Hancock Jeffersonian, David Ross Locke, began writing the Nasby Letters in his paper. He made up a silly pretend character named Petroleum Vesuvius Nasby who believed unfair ideas. The letters were meant to be funny, but they also helped readers understand why those ideas were wrong. People all over the country read the letters, and even Abraham Lincoln enjoyed them.

Today there is just one newspaper, The Courier, and its roots are with the original Hancock Courier! The Courier was owned by the Heminger family for 131 years before it was purchased by Ogden Newspapers in 2019.

Newspapers aren’t the only way Hancock County citizens got their news! Blanchard River Broadcasting Company, also owned by the Hemminger Family, launched its first station – WFIN in 1949! Blanchard River Broadcasting grew and now manages WFIN on AM and FM frequencies, WXKA, and 106.3 The Fox. They play music, share news, and have become a vital part of sharing information in the community!