The first newspaper published in Pope County was established at Dover, in 1869, by Capt. H. P. Barry. It was called the Dover Transcript, and lived but a few weeks.

The next venture was at Russellville, where, in 1870, B. W. Cleaver and J. K. Perriman started the Russellville Herald, a four-column folio. In about a year the Herald was suspended, and in 1871 the National Tribune was established by J. H. Battenfield. In 1872 the office of the National Tribune was totally destroyed by incendiaries. A new outfit was immediately purchased, and the publication of the paper was resumed, but a few issues having been missed. In 1873 the Tribune was edited by Judge L. W. Davis, and in 1874 by David P. Cloyd, after which it suspended.

In 1875 a stock company was organized, which purchased the National Tribune material, and established the Russellville Democrat, with J. E. Battenfield as editor and B. F. Jobs as business manager. In 1881 Mr. Battenfield resigned the editorship of the Democrat, and was succeeded by B. F. Jobe and John R. Homer Scott. They edited the paper until 1882, when W. L. Morris succeeded them. In January, 1883, Mr. Morris resigned, and Rev. H. B. Milner mounted the tripod. Mr. Milner retired in about twelve months, and was succeeded by Mr. J. F. Munday. He continued as editor until 1887, when he resigned, and was succeeded by B. F. Jobe, who has had editorial charge of the paper ever since.

In 1877 D. O. Bell established the Atkins News. It passed through several hands, Ernest Jennings, J. E. Joyner, O. C. Ludwig, John A. Woolen and W. W. Gill having at different times been its editors. Some time in 1883 its name was changed to the Pope County Reflector, and its publication was continued by Gus and W. W. Gill. In 1886 the paper was moved to Dardanelle.

In November, 1881, the Biblical View, a paper published in the interest of the Christian denomination, was issued at Russellville by J. Tolbert Garland. It died in three months.

The Arkansas Evangel, edited by Rev. B. R. Womack, was moved from Dardanelle to Russellville in March, 1882, and was issued from the office of the Democrat. It was taken to Morrilton in 1883.

Our Paper, a bi-monthly in the interest of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, was launched January 1, 1884, at Russellville. It lived but a few months.

January 15, 1884, Prof. J. H. Shinn, of Russellville, recently elected superintendent of public instruction of the State of Arkansas, commenced the publication of the Arkansas Teacher, a monthly devoted to education. The paper was issued regularly for a year, and removed from Russellville to Little Rock.

The Revivalist, a religious monthly, was established at Russellville. H. B. Milner and W. M. Robison, in June, 1885. It suspended January 1, 1886.

In August, 1887, Eugene Moore established the Mail at Atkins, which was published until May, 1889, when the paper passed into the hands of a stock company, known as the Atkins Printing Company. Ben G. Sevier managed the paper for a few months, it finally passing under the control of Mr. Robert W. Leigh, manager of the Morrilton Printing Company, who leased the office. It is still under his management.

The Methodist Herald, a journal whose title sufficiently indicates its character, is issued at Russellville, weekly. Now in its second volume, it is well printed and well conducted.