My mom spent nearly 40 years as a reporter for the Oshkosh Northwestern, some of those in the building at 224 State St. I have memories of being a child, walking through the front entrance between those four colossal columns into the lobby with a marble wraparound counter and whispering out of reverence for the important work being done within.
I recently asked my mom what she remembered of that building. She recalled the sandstone-colored blocks on the interior walls, the gracious staircase leading to the mezzanine, the publisher’s office with gleaming wood paneling and a fireplace tucked into the wall.
“If this place was looking to suggest success, they did that well,” she said.
The media landscape has changed drastically since The Northwestern was built in 1930. The newspaper and its dwindling staff no longer occupy that opulent building. It was purchased in 2021 by Oshkosh native and investor T.J. Rodgers, is now home to Truffle Pig restaurant and is under development to become a hotel, with other amenities.
While the digs may look different, the work of local journalists continues — and matters now more than ever. April 9 is the first-ever Local News Day. Launched by the Montana Free Press, the day of action invites Americans to support trusted local news in their communities by subscribing to their local outlets, sharing favorite stories online with #LocalNewsDay and celebrating the reporters who keep communities informed.
Those four columns still stand at 224 State St., but the foundation they represent extends far beyond that building. A free press remains a pillar of our democracy, and it’s one we cannot afford to take for granted. It deserves respect and requires our support. Visit localnewsday.org to learn how you or your organization can strengthen the local news sources that remain vital to our democracy.
A note on Insight’s editorial standards
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