The first edition of the Peru Daily Tribune, published Saturday, April 16, 1921. (1924.009.0026a) Miami County Historical Society
As the Peru Tribune publishes its final issue before consolidating with the Wabash Plain-Dealer and Huntington Herald-Press, the editors of Peru’s longest-standing newspaper would like to take the opportunity to reflect upon its rich history.
The Peru Daily Tribune sent its first issue to press on April 16, 1921. The newspaper was created by printers who worked for the Peru Journal and Peru Chronicle, after the printers claimed they had been locked out by the other newspapers while they were striking.
In the first issue of the Peru Daily Tribune, the editors proclaimed their founding principle: “a newspaper will not and can not perform an important mission in a community without representing all the people, publishing all the news, and supporting all constructive movements.”
The paper enjoyed early success, with the Miami County Sentinel publishing that “many citizens are anxiously awaiting the first edition” in their April 13 edition. Circulation in the first month of publication was approximately 3,000 per day.
Through acquisitions of the Miami County Sentinel and the Peru Journal-Chronicle, two of the paper’s primary competitors, the Peru Daily Tribune cemented its stature among Peruvians.
In 1928, Don Nixon purchased the Peru Tribune from Paul Poynter, who owned it for a short time, and folded it into his ever-expanding collection of publications. Nixon and his family remained involved in the paper for most of its history, especially after his death in 1934.
His son, John Nixon, was deeply involved in Miami County through positions as the president of the Peru Chamber of Commerce, one of the founders of the Circus City Festival, and a key investor in the community. Nixon was named Sagamore of the Wabash in 1998 for his economic development efforts, and also won numerous awards for his civic involvement and dedication to journalism.
Nixon was the chairman of the company when it was sold to Paxton Media Group in 1998, who currently owns the Peru Tribune. Since then, the Peru Tribune has remained the sole newspaper in Miami County, delivering news to the citizens of Peru and the surrounding areas.
The Peru Tribune transitioned from a daily newspaper, to a biweekly newspaper, and then to a weekly newspaper in January 2024. In April 2024, the paper will be consolidated with the Wabash Plain-Dealer and Huntington Herald-Press to create the Indiana Plain-Dealer, which will publish weekly.
Copyright © 2024 Peru Tribune