A September 1948 article about the success of the Farmer’s Day celebration.

Three more years and nearly 4000 pages of the Wilkes Journal-Patriot have been newly added to DigitalNC, courtesy of our partner, the Wilkes County Public Library. While the collection previously held editions of the Journal-Patriot from 1933 to 1947, these new editions brings our holdings to the year 1950. Based out of North Wilkesboro in the northwest part of the state, the Journal-Patriot services Wilkes County.

Published three times a week, the Journal-Patriot covers local headlines, often local municipal developments or political events. The annual Farmer’s Day celebrations were always very popular, with the newspaper regularly advertising them to attract residents. In 1948, the celebration had a parade that was two miles long, and featured an address by former Governor (and later Senator) J.M. Broughton. These Farmers Day celebrations were famous throughout Wilkes County, with the 1949 celebration having a record crowd at that time, and a record of nearly 125 floats, units, or groups on the roster.

An October 1949 article about that year’s Farmers’ Day celebration

Having this new influx of pages from the Journal-Patriot helps us increase our representation of newspapers from the mountainous parts of the state. To browse through other materials from the Wilkes County Public Library, take a look at their partner page, or visit their website.

December 8, 1941 issue of the Wilkes Journal-Patriot newspaper.

The Wilkes Journal-Patriot, nominated for digitization by the Wilkes County Public Library, is one of our most recently added newspaper titles on DigitalNC. Wilkes county is located in the northwestern part of the state, and the Journal-Patriot comes out of North Wilkesboro, the county seat.

With the permission of the Journal-Patriot, we were able to digitize papers spanning 1933-1947. Some of the very first issues headline big national news, like Franklin D. Roosevelt’s inauguration as President of the United States. The paper contains a good bit of local news, covering events held by local clubs, progress in developing businesses, the implementation of social services throughout the county and, of course, crime. The earliest issues frequently discuss prohibition, like officers shutting down local stills or the legalization of 3.2 beer.

Through the forties, much of the paper is taken up by war news from abroad and at home, describing local sentiment and civilian defense efforts. Sales of war bonds, collections of valuable rubber and other scrap, and other local contributions to winning the war abound. There’s a column entitled “Wilkes Men with the Colors” or “Wilkes Men in Service” that follows local citizens serving in the armed forces.

We’re pleased to welcome Wilkes County Public Library, a new partner. You can view more items about Wilkes County on our site, or browse additional newspapers from all parts of the state in the North Carolina Newspapers Collection.