40 years of the Messenger 1983-2022

Bringing the neighborhood news for 40 years

For 40 years, the Longfellow Nokomis Messenger has been keeping residents informed by dropping a newspaper at doorsteps on the fourth Thursday of the month. The goal of creating connections hasn't changed.

Milbraths' Phase 2 1983-1986

deRuyter Nelson Publications 1986-2019

TMC Publications 2019-

Staff members through the years

Carola Bratt wrote and edited for the Messenger when it was owned by the Milbraths.

Nanc Wischow (at left) did graphics and sales under the ownership of Bill and Maureen Milbrath.

Bill Milbrath with the first issue of the Longfellow Messenger.

Bill and Maureen Milbrath of Milbrath's Phase Two, publishers of The Longfellow Messenger on page 1 of the preview edition in January 1983.

Como resident and Hamline University graduate Lynn Middleton Koller was one of the first typesetters for deRuyter Nelson Publications.

Cal deRuyter in 1977 at the first paid office for deRuyter Nelson Publications, located at 600 North Fairview in St. Paul.

Cal deRuyter and Tim Nelson of deRuyter Nelson Publications at the first office they paid for, 600 Fairview in St. Paul.

Hamline Student Congress in 1976 with student wearing bicentennial costumes. Tim Nelson of deRuyter Nelson Publications is third from left.

Tim Nelson in 2019 when he sold the Messenger and Monitor to TMC Publications CO.

After selling the Messenger and the Monitor, Calvin deRuyter continued as a bookkeeper for TMC Publications CO. He is also a painter.

The deRuyter Nelson Publication logo

Tim Nelson, Cal deRuyter and Tesha M. Christensen in 2019.

Tesha M. Christensen and her kids deliver papers in the Longfellow neighborhood in 2019.

Columns & Stories

Bill Milbrath holds a copy of the first Longfellow Messenger in 1983. He and his wife, Maureen, started the neighborhood newspaper. It was sold to deRuyter Nelson Publications in 1986, and to TMC Publications CO in 2019.

Building community for 40 years

“A newspaper to serve the people, institutions and business enterprises of the Longfellow neighborhood begins its circulation today.”With that front page announcement, Bill Milbrath and …

My meeting with the Longfellow ministers

It is hard to believe that the Messenger is celebrating its 40th anniversary. My first experience visiting stakeholders from the Longfellow neighborhood was when Messenger founder Bill Milbrath …

THE MOVERS AND THE SHAKERS

The Longfellow-Nokomis Messenger is not only one of Minneapolis’ oldest neighborhood newspapers, it is part of a long tradition of such Minneapolis and St. Paul publications.Coverage of city …

20 years with neighborhood newspapers

It has been nearly 20 years since I handed in my first story to the Longfellow Messenger, and it is hard to believe the time has passed so quickly. I had arrived in Saint Paul from Montana with two …

Beginning

Early editions

Bill Milbrath holds a copy of the first Longfellow Messenger in 1983. He and his wife, Maureen, started the neighborhood newspaper. It was sold to deRuyter Nelson Publications in 1986, and to TMC Publications CO in 2019.

The preview edition, page 1

The preview edition, pages 2-3

The preview edition, page 4

Bill and Maureen Milbrath of Milbrath's Phase Two, publishers of The Longfellow Messenger on page 1 of the preview edition in January 1983.

Transition

Transition to deRuyter Nelson Publications summer 1986

The July 1986 Messenger when Nanc, Maureen and Bill bade farewell.

Maureen Milbrath bids farewell in the July 1986 Messenger.

Nanc Wischow bids farewell in the July 1986 Messenger.

Bill Milbrath bids farewell in the July 1986 Messenger and includes his editorial comments from March 1983.

The Longfellow Messenger changes hands.

The first column Denis Woulfe wrote as editor of the Longfellow Messenger in August 1986.

The editorial page in August 1986 after deRuyter Nelson Publications took over the Messenger from the Milbraths.

An early masthead in 1988

Expansion

Expansion in Nokomis 1988

The September 1988 edition was the last titled the Longfellow Messenger. The next month, coverage was expanded into Nokomis.

A note in the September 1998 edition announces that the Longfellow Messenger is expanding into Nokomis. An in-depth article explains more in the October edition.

An early masthead in 1988

"Nokomis community responds to Messenger expansion" by Carola Bratt is printed in the October 1988 edition. There are 2 jumps.

The Messenger expands, jump #2.

The Messenger expands, jump #3.