THE MESSENGER, Montrose, Colorado, July 13, 1882

• Very rare Old West publication

An exceedingly rare title from Southwestern Colorado, as not only did this newspaper only last 8 years, but only 7 issues are held by any American institution, none of this date. We purchased the few holdings of the only other institution which once had issues. This is the volume 1, number 8 issue.
The front page has 2 columns taken up with: "THE LOWER GUNNISON" "A New Region Springing into Existence--The Splendid Farming Lands of Uncompahgre Valley" "Chief Ouray's Old House--The Town of Montrose, Etc." As the heading suggests, this article extolls the many virtues of the area.
Page 2 has: "Another Invoice of Mormons" is on a recent arrival of many Mormon immigrants.
Four pages, nice condition.

Background: The Messenger was a short-lived but historically significant weekly newspaper published in Montrose, Colorado, in 1882, during the town’s early frontier period following its founding in 1881. Appearing under the simple title The Messenger (sometimes listed as the Montrose Messenger in archival records), the paper served a rapidly growing Western Slope community shaped by mining, ranching, railroad expansion, and regional politics. Like many early Colorado newspapers, it mixed local news, territorial and national political commentary, advertisements for land and businesses, and notices reflecting the challenges of frontier life. Surviving issues are scarce, suggesting a brief publication run, likely limited to several months in 1882, before the paper ceased operation amid the intense competition and financial instability common to early Western newspapers. Today, The Messenger is known primarily through holdings listed by the Library of Congress and Colorado historical archives, where it provides researchers with a valuable snapshot of Montrose’s formative years before more enduring papers—such as the Montrose Daily Press—came to dominate local journalism.