The Frederick Press-Leader

The City of Frederick was founded in 1901, and within three years, while the streets were yet dust or mud, when the livery stables were an important business in the community, and when, as one pioneer resident said, "seven saloons lined Main Street," The Frederick Leader came into being. Thus the city and the Leader have grown together. The founder of today's surveying daily in Frederick was Col. J.C. Bayne, termed "a unique character in Oklahoma journalism, who had a fondness for establishing newspapers." Bayne founded the Leader as a weekly in March of 1904, and the month became symbolic of future growth of the publication. In March, 1917, John Lynne Newland changed the publication to a daily newspaper, and on March 17, 1969, the paper went from letterpress to offset publication under the ownership of the Donrey Media Group.

Through the years the Leader has claimed, with pardonable pride, that it is a "Prize Winning Newspaper" in competition sponsored by the Oklahoma Press Association and Oklahoma State Fair.

On February 1, 2012 history was made when The Frederick Leader combined with The Frederick Press and a new publication, The Frederick Press-Leader was born.

The Frederick Press, founded by R. H. Wessel, had been in business just one year longer than The Frederick Leader. Ray Wallace owned the Press at the time of its acquisition and he remains at the helm of the new paper as Editor and General Manager. Jennifer Grice is the Advertising Manager.

The Frederick Press-Leader is currently owned by Heartland Publications and is a weekly newspaper published on Thursday.

It is no cliché to say that the Press-Leader staffers are a dedicated and loyal people, aware of their responsibilities to the newspaper, the people, and the community.