Since 1825, when the first newspaper was published on a hand-operated press by D. William Maxwell, there have been 30 different newspapers in Coshocton County, with the Coshocton Tribune the sole survivor. The newspaper was the brainchild of William J. Bahmer, former Coshocton County school teacher and experienced newspaperman. When the Tribune debuted in 1909, there already were two long-established dailies in Coshocton -- the Age and the Times. The idea that a town of less then 10,000 people could support three dailies and that a new paper could win out against such formidable, well-financed and well-entrenched opposition seemed absurd.

Fred Wallace, a schoolteacher and lawyer, took over the reins at the paper, gambling all of his savings to buy stock in the venture. In 1917 he purchased the Age and consolidated it with the Tribune. After his death in 1933, his widow became president and publisher of the Tribune. She brought in her son, Robert, then with the Cleveland Press, as editor and general manager. Following her death in 1945, Nora Hall served as president until her death in 1952. William Wallace was managing editor until his death in 1960. Bruce Wallace, the youngest of the three brothers, is owner of local radio station WTNS, founded in 1947. The paper was later sold to Thompson Newspapers, then in 2000 to Gannett.

Coshocton County is located in eastern Ohio. Created in 1810 from Muskingum County, the word Coshocton is a derivative of an Indian word meaning, "union of waters." From 1795-1812, white settlers from the East moved into the area, causing inevitable conflicts and confrontations with the Native Americans. With the railroads' intrusion into Coshocton in the late 1860s, the Delaware Indians moved west along with Westbound settlers.

Today Coshocton is a thriving city with a revitalized town center and light-industrial businesses. It is the home of Roscoe Village, a living-history museum that takes visitors back to life in the 19th century. Coshocton industrialist Edward Montgomery provided the impetus for the restoration of Roscoe Village that began in 1968. It is the most outstanding restored canal town in Ohio. During its heyday, from 1830-1860, Roscoe was a thriving milling center known for its wheat and wool exports.

County population: 73,287
Median family household income: $39,943
Median age: 35.9
Largest employers: A.K. Steel, Stone Container, Kraft Foods, Pretty Products, General Electric, Coshocton Memorial Hospital, Roscoe Village