Managed Service

Food & Beverage, Government & Politics, Sports

The Wright County Monitor was founded in 1869 by Will F. Smith. He served the paper only six months, but was the first of 11 publishers to manage the paper in its first 100 years. Some of its other publishers worked on papers in nearby Franklin and Butler counties in their careers, as well. The Monitor is believed to be the first newspaper in Clarion and outlasted four other newspapers that originated in the Clarion area. Its first location was in the Elliott Block on Clarion’s historic Main Street, and its current office is only a few blocks from its original home. In 1914, the Wright County Monitor had a circulation of 1,250. Now, just over 100 years later, its readership is more than twice that, and it serves the Clarion area and Wright County in general. It provides coverage on local government, sports, and events. In July of 2011, the Wright County Monitor came under ownership of Mid-America Publishing, which publishes about 30 Iowa papers and monthly and weekly shoppers. It also offers custom printing services through its location in Hampton and through its various newspaper offices.