After 123 years, news returns to East Helena

On November 19, 1897, the East Helena Record introduced itself to readers:

“With this, the first issue… we make our bow to the people of one of the most thriving towns of Montana. It may not be out of place to say that we are proud to have the honor of publishing the first newspaper of the town, for it is somewhat surprising that the town has not had a paper before.”

So began an ambitious but brief journalistic endeavor. Newspapers of that era were mostly fleeting enterprises, mirroring the boom-and-bust tumult of their day. The Record ceased publication after five years.