About Us
The Chokio Review has been serving the community for nearly 111 years, one of the oldest surviving businesses in Chokio. The first issue of the newspaper, then called The Chokio Times, hit the street on Wednesday, February 17, 1897.
As the town grew, so did the newspaper. Pictured above is one of the oldest known photographs of Main Street Chokio, taken circa 1900 of the west side of Main Street (looking north). The businesses have been identified (From left): A residence that was later moved from Main Street; Pederson Hardware Co.; a millinery shop; unidentified business place; E.G. Miller's Harness shop. Across the street in the next block were the Chokio Hotel, Bartlett and Burt's General Store, a hardware store, a bank, McNally's store, and a few more unidentified businesses.
The house in the upper right is believed to be the first location of the Chokio Times. Charles McAllen, publisher and editor, lived there and printed the first newspapers in one of its back rooms.
111 years and still publishing
by Kay Grossman
The Chokio Review is celebrating its 111th anniversary in February. The first Chokio Review (originally named the Chokio Times) went to press on Wednesday, February 17, 1897, and since that time has served this community with a weekly edition, without interruption of publication.
This newspaper has been called by several names. It has been published in many locations. It has had many editors and publishers.
It’s difficult for a newspaper to show its age because each weekly issue is a new birth. Each issue will be different from the previous. That’s the nature of the beast. A newspaper changes with the times. The newspaper lives and dies with its community.
The 111 years of continuous publication says something about the staying power of small towns – of this small town. Newspapers mirror their communities. As the town continues, so does its newspaper week after week, telling the town about itself.
There have been times we didn’t like what we read about ourselves. And there are other times when we celebrated our accomplishments, reveling in community pride.
The community is vested in its newspaper. Even though it is privately owned, a newspaper is one of the few private businesses in which local people feel they have ownership. When that occurs, a newspaper is successful.
The success and longevity of this newspaper can be attributed to many reasons – advertisers continuing to promote and market their products within the newspaper, which keeps a newspaper financially healthy; and dedicated staff who work odd hours to prepare each weekly issue, to name a few. Perhaps the most defining reason, though, is that its readers are still interested.
Each week, subscribers look to the Chokio Review for their news about local events. Did the school board hire the new teacher? Will the city council raise the water rates? What will the county board do about a regional jail? Which students were named to the honor roll? Where’s Mary?
It is only in your local newspaper where you will find the answers to these questions. The Chokio Review has been answering these questions for 111 years. Here’s to another 111!
Chokio Depot, early 1900s