Initially called the Mill Towns Review, the city newspaper began publishing in 1911.   Its editor was Edward Hopkins, who was president of the Follansbee Publishing Company.     On May 1, 1913, C. B. Robertson took over the editorship of the paper.  The Mill Towns Review was issued every Friday. Its slogan was “Independent Politically –But Not Neutral.”   In 1914, the Mill Towns Review promoted itself with a “Missing Word Contest” for thirteen weeks with great success.  Folks had to find the omitted word in one of the paper’s ads.  The person finding the greatest number of missing words won a $40 prize.   The paper completed its fourth year on May 28, 1915.  On Friday, June 4, 1915 the name of the paper changed to The Follansbee Review, with C. B. Robertson continuing as editor and publisher.   By 1927 George S. Hahne had become Editor and Publisher of the paper.   A July 1941 issue identified George S. Hahne and John R. Ryan as publishers, with Ryan acting as Managing Editor.   The paper was hailed as the official Democratic newspaper of Brooke County.  In December 1951, Raymond and Mary Mester were listed as the publishers, Mary was Editor.

The West Virginia University and the State of West Virginia Archives have preserved old issues of the Mill Towns Review and Follansbee Review.  The Brooke County Library Genealogy Room (Wellsburg) also has some copies on microfilm.  In addition, special funding from Washburn University in Kansas, has made it possible for the general public to access past issues of the newspaper through the interlibrary loan system available at public Libraries, including the Steubenville Public Library.

• Mill Towns Review, “Contest is Attracting Great …Attention,” December 12, 1913, front page.

Missing Word Contest Ad published in Mill Towns Review, January 1914.