This drawing by Ernie Maxwell was originally published to mark the Town Crier's 8-year anniversary. It was the cover of the Nov. 6, 1953, edition.
Editor’s note: Ernie and Betty Maxwell wrote the column below for the Oct. 28, 1952 issue. In it, they discuss the production of the first Town Crier issue, Nov. 1, 1946.

Seven Hallowe’ens ago Hillfolk gathered at Fern Valley Lodge in a startling array of costumes. The husky Poates boys appeared as slinky sirens and in high squeaky voices but bulging biceps, warned goblins, clowns and ghosts not to take liberties with the belles.

We can’t remember our costumes but we recall we left early. We had a job to do at home. Likely the Lodge was dark when we finished our assignment. That was the night Town Crier came to be.

It was almost 4 a.m. before the two badly mimeographed pages that represented Volume I — No. 1 were put to bed. We printed about 250 copies and distributed them free to every boxholder. No advertising appeared in the first issue and we didn’t promise when it would come out again.

We hung around the post office watching folks’ reaction to the surprise issue and when the Aguirres said, “Say, we want to subscribe to that little paper!” We were encouraged to print another.

From that October day in 1946 Town Crier has appeared regularly regardless of snow, drought, fire and an unpredictable mimeograph.

At first, we took the paper to San Jacinto to be printed at the home of a friend with an electric mimeograph and once, we almost didn’t make the deadline. Coming up the hill late at night we hit a snowstorm. Piled in the backseat were the unassembled pages of TC. As the snow on the road deepened, we hurried on and barely skidded into our driveway before the road was impassable.

Town Crier has won a modest share of attention. Articles about its homemade folksiness have appeared in FORTNIGHT, L.A. TIMES and in the columns of Matt Weinstock, Kerwin Hoover, and various trade journals. Emax and Bmax told about it on KFI, and Meredith Willson last week dedicated his program to it.

Sometimes the going has been discouraging and we thought we’d quit but somehow this never happened and having completed its first seven year cycle, Town Crier feels it has passed its toughest period. Its growth has coincided with the growth of the Hill and its increasing news. We hope to keep pace with new developments and reflect in the paper the sort of community we have here and the spirit in which we take such pride.

To all of you who have stood by us during our first six years, both readers and advertisers, we extend our heartfelt appreciation. It is your support and encouragement that keeps us wanting to bring to you “Almost all the news part of the time.”

Emax and Bmax

Nearly 60 years after this column, the Town Crier continues to proudly publish the news of the Hill. And since that day, the paper has earned and received many accolades and awards for its work, continuing through this year, 2011.

But we are most proud of this reader’s opinion and strive to meet his standards every week.

“The function of a community’s local newspaper is to report the news and promote thought. Since the beginning of time some have used condemnation and ridicule to conceal their lack of thought.

“The advantage we have in our small and twice-blessed mountain hamlet is a newspaper that reports well and also promotes thought.”

Doug Austin, June 2005

The community is invited to an open house in celebration of our 65th year at the paper’s offices 6 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 3.

J.P., Editor