A LETTER TO THE RESIDENTS OF PORTLAND,

In July of 1973, 48 years ago, the first volume of the Portland Anchor Newspaper was ready to roll off the rickety, old, letter press in the basement of the Portland Boys and Girls Club. Its creators, a group of intrepid, optimistic, and determined young Portland activists were standing by, wringing their hands, pacing the room in a worrying manner like a family awaiting the birth of a much-anticipated newborn. Then the press broke down! 

The creators had a collective heart attack. In true Portland fashion, and with a never give up attitude, a strange solution occurred. The Portland Redmen were partying nearby. There were experienced printers among the Redmen who responded and got the press running and the first copy of the Portland Anchor rolled off.  (There is more to tell about the Anchor rescue by the Redmen but that story will be told in a future edition. It’s funny).

Today, we are informing the Portland Community that your quirky newspaper is new hands. The folks who have kept the Anchor alive and doing its best to represent the interests of its readers have, not surprisingly, gotten older. Fortunately, the Portland Museum, with its own new leadership, has stepped forward to take ownership of the Portland Anchor. The transfer is complete with the Anchor safely tucked into a sub corporation of the Portland Museum called an LLC or Limited Liability Corporation and it is not for profit. The Anchor you are reading is the second to be published by the Museum.

There are many Portland residents and supporters over the past 48 years to thank for believing in Portland and for keeping the Anchor in publication. Foremost, is Sherry Stewart and Charles Frick. Sherry has done all the hard work, selling advertisements, gathering the news that’s fit to print, composing the pages of the paper, and managing the billing and management of our wonderful subscribers.  Charlie, a.k.a. Mr. Anchor Ambassador, faithfully picked up the Portland Anchor from the printers, distributed copies to local businesses, churches, schools and anywhere else that Charlies thinks is a suitably accessible place for someone to grab an Anchor. On behalf of the people of Portland, thank you Sherry and Charlie! Both Sherry and Charlie will remain active with the Anchor under Museum management.

So, get ready. The Portland Anchor is entering an exciting new era that we think you will love and be proud of.  And, on behalf of those pioneers 48 years ago, thank you Portland for your support and love for the Portland Anchor, Louisville’s oldest community newspaper.

I love Portland and her residents, some of the best Americans I have ever known.

Gordon Brown, One of the Founders, and former President