Newspaper Index

The Anacortes Museum was the beneficiary of Wallie Funk's donation of a century of newspaper history in the form of bound editions of the Anacortes American, the Northwest Enterprise, the Anacortes Progress and other newspaper artifacts. Born in Anacortes like his father before him, Wallie Funk became editor of the Anacortes American in 1950 and three issues later wrote a front-page editorial urging his hometown to preserve its history. The community donated photos and other materials, and eventually Funk took out a personal loan to have photographer Glenn Davis copy and enlarge the best of the photos. In 1959, these photos were displayed in the City Hall Council Chambers and became the start of the Anacortes Museum.

Early Anacortes Newspaper Timeline

From History of Skagit and Snohomish Counties, Washington, 1906

  • 1882 March 25, 1882 the first number of the Northwest Enterprise is issued by publishers Alf. D. Bowen and F.M. Walsh
  • 1883 Northwest Enterprise publishers transferred business to their chief patron, Amos Bowman
  • 1889 On August 3, 1889 C.F. Mitchell published and edited the first edition of the Anacortes Progress
    • Washington Farmer founded by Lesh R. Freeman in 1889 at Gibraltor
  • 1890 First edition of the Anacortes American was printed on May 15, 1890. Douglas Allmond and F.H. Boynton arrived in April of 1890 with two (railroad) cars and set up at 10th Street & M Avenue.
  • 1892 Allmond took over as sole publisher after August 12, 1892, when Boynton withdrew
    • Anacortes Courier, by J.B. Fithian, successor to the Progress in 1892
  • 1890s Anacortes News published by C.F. Mitchell during the middle ‘90s
  • 1895 Skagit County Churchwork by H.L. Badger about 1895
  • 1902 Frederick Ornes succeeded Allmond
    • Anacortesan surviving but a few months in 1902
  • 1903 Anacortes Sentinel established September 9, 1903 “as a Republican paper, by A.G. Morse.” Morse sold to Thomas & Davis who transferred it to Barnett on Dec. 1, 1904, who merged it into his American
  • 1904 Frank Barnett acquired the Anacortes American on January 1, 1904
  • 1905 Anacortes American “absorbed the Sentinel.”