News & Events

Doris Anderson Day August 30!

DO YOU REMEMBER “THE EDEN MINIATURE?”

HELP SAVE THE OLD COPIES TO PRESERVE EDEN HISTORY

Were you or your parents or grandparents living in Eden in the 1940s or early 1950s?

If yes, then perhaps you can help the Eden Historical Society gather up a full set of all of the editions of the Eden Miniature published from 1940 to 1953.

The Eden Miniature was the creation of William (“Billy”) Rennegal when he was only 9 years old in 1940!   Billy received a toy printing press that Christmas.  He decided to produce a local newspaper and he made it happen with the help of his mother (Doris Anderson).   The newspaper’s first edition was February 1, 1940 with a circulation of 200 and it was free (it was funded through inexpensive ads of local merchants).  The Miniature steadily grew over the years and became a larger sized newspaper produced twice each month (on the 1st and 15th of each month) developing a circulation of about 650.   There eventually was a small charge for the newspaper (3 cents) with the paper distributed through the US Postal Service,

We currently have approximately 500 copies of the Eden Miniature. Reading them is like a trip back in time with many stories of local interest and we are certain our community will treasure them for generations to come.

We are still missing many editions of the Eden Miniature, especially for the early years of 1940-1942. We need your help locating these copies before they are lost forever.  It is our hope and expectation that many copies remain in the closets, basements and attics of houses across Eden – perhaps in your home or the home of a family member or friend that lived in Eden in the 1940s.

If you or your family/friends have access to any copies that you would be willing to donate (or allow us to scan) please contact Sue Minekime (Eden Town Historian) at 716-992-3146 or Matt Byrnes (Project Manager) at 716-597-6739. We need your help in gathering a full set to preserve for the future. We appreciate your support on this project!