Editor's note: We are proud to present our 120th anniversary special in this week's edition of the Mercury. Thanks to everybody who has supported us over the years, and to the businesses who advertised in this promotion.
ESTEVAN — Estevan has a rich and unique history since its inception. And the Estevan Mercury has been there virtually every step of the way.
The Mercury is celebrating its 120th anniversary this year. And we're proud to bring this special publication to you, our readers.
How long has the Mercury been around? We're Estevan's oldest business – a fact that has long been a source of great pride in this office. (In many Saskatchewan communities, the newspaper is the oldest business).
When the Mercury was first printed in 1903, Saskatchewan was still a part of the North West Territories. Saskatchewan didn't become a province until Sept. 1, 1905.
We were there when Estevan became a town and the Estevan Police Service was formed in 1906.
We've been there through the First and Second World Wars, the Spanish influenza and the Great Depression. We've documented the most important events in local history.
We believe that if a business or an organization has been around for 120 years, then they must be doing something right. Or a lot of things right. If a business doesn't deliver a quality product that people can depend on, then it won't last 120 years.
We are proud to present this special section that pays tribute to the past of both the Mercury and Estevan. We have been able to find the front cover from our first paper back in 1903. And as you flip through the pages, you'll see articles from our past that chronicle some of the most notable moments in our city's history, and some of the changes that have occurred over the year.
There are some stories that are rather obvious selections, such as the Estevan Riot of 1931, the plane crash south of the city in 1946, or Estevan becoming a city in 1957, but we think we've brought together a strong variety of stories from Estevan's past.
And while we don't want to completely ignore our recent history, we've made sure that we have included articles from further back to show off our past. Not only is it an effort to educate and remind, but it also gives us a chance to show how much things have changed.
We've done our best to keep the stories as they were when they ran in the paper. We've made changes when necessary, but they've been kept to a minimum.
A milestone like this allows us to reflect on the men and women who have served as publishers, editors, reporters, sales manager, sales representatives, production employees, administrative professionals, proofreaders, typesetters and others who have helped make this paper possible for 120 years.
We're especially grateful to those who launched this paper in 1903.
Our success also wouldn't have been possible without the people who have worked hard to ensure the paper is printed each week, and the carriers who have braved all sorts of weather to ensure the Mercury is delivered on a weekly basis.
There's a lot of people who have worked very hard over the years to make the Mercury what it is – the best weekly newspaper in Saskatchewan.
And of course, we need to be thankful for you, the readers, for continuing to place your trust in us each week, not only by reading this publication, but by trusting us when bringing in an ad or by coming to us with a story idea.
As with any industry, there has been a lot of change over the years, but we like to think that we have kept pace, and now offer a quality product, both in print and online. We're a leading contributor to our provincial news hub at sasktoday.ca.
It's been our pleasure to be here since 1903. Our duty of informing the public is one that we have taken seriously, and it's one that we will continue to fulfill as Estevan's No. 1 and most trusted source of news.
You can click here to view the special section in its entirety.
