Newspaper Museum Tells Story Of 90-Year History Of Collinsville News

Covering the roof collapse at the Silver Dollar Cafe in Collinsville led us to discover perhaps Oklahoma's only Newspaper Museum just up the street.

The museum is a 90-year history of the Collinsville News and the family who published it.

"We are in the Newspaper Museum in Collinsville. This building was built in 1912."

Ted Wright is the fourth generation to own a piece of Collinsville history.

"This is Great Grandfather, this is W.O. Wright," Wright said. 

He published the first issue of the Collinsville News in May of 1899.

Ted's father sold the paper in 1989 and it lasted a few more years.

The building is loaded with history.

"This is basically a very large typewriter," Wright said. 

It's a linotype machine and the operator used a keyboard to create lines of type which were then cast into a single piece using a process called hot metal typesetting.

One type says American Exchange Bank. And once they were used they would be melted down and used again. 

Phototypesetting all the way back to typesetting by hand is all there. 

The museum also has back issues of the Collinsville News from the early 1900s through the 80s. 

Ted Wright can tell you all about it and Collinsville's history is his family history and he's glad to share it with you.

The museum doesn't have regular hours, so you've got to catch Wright when he is there or you can email him at wrightted@aol.com.