Bend Bulletin

The Bulletin

The Bend Bulletin, March 3, 1909
Type	Daily newspaper
Format	Broadsheet
Owner(s)	Western Communications
Publisher	John Costa
Founded	1903 (1903) as the Bend Bulletin
Headquarters	Bend, Oregon, USA
Circulation	26,986 (weekdays)
Sister newspapers	Baker City Herald, Curry Coastal Pilot, The Daily Triplicate, The Observer, The Redmond Spokesman, 'The Union Democrat
Website	bendbulletin.com

The Bulletin is the daily newspaper of Bend, Oregon, United States. The Bulletin is owned by Western Communications, a family-owned corporation founded by publisher Robert W. Chandler. Over the years, a number of well-known journalists have been associated with the newspaper.

To start a newspaper in Bend, a printing press and other publishing equipment items were brought overland from the railhead at Shaniko by freight wagon. The Bend Bulletin was first published as a weekly newspaper on March 27, 1903. The newspaper’s first publisher was Max Lueddemann with Don P. Rea serving as the first editor. When it began, the newspaper’s only other employee was a printer named A. H. Kennedy. The newspaper office was located in a rustic cabin on the east bank of the Deschutes River. In the summer of 1904, the newspaper was sold to J. M. Lawrence. He moved the newspaper to an office building in downtown Bend.

In 1910, George P. Putnam bought the Bend Bulletin from Lawrence. While he was the newspaper’s editor for only four years, Putnam continued as publisher for several more years. During his tenure, Putnam was active in local and state politics and the newspaper began promoting Central Oregon outside the local area. The Bend Bulletin shifted from a weekly publication to a daily newspaper on December 6, 1916.

Robert W. Sawyer purchased Putnam’s interest in the newspaper in 1919. He hired Henry Fowler, who owned a minority share in the newspaper, as editor. Sawyer was a conservationist, who used his influence as a newspaper publisher to help preserve Oregon’s natural resources. In addition to publishing the Bend Bulletin, he served as president of the National Reclamation Association, a director of the American Forestry Association, and a member of the Oregon Highway Commission. He also championed the establishment of numerous state parks as well as leading the effort to preserve key portions of the John Day Fossil Beds. Sawyer continued as publisher of the Bend Bulletin for 34 years. In 1953, Sawyer put the newspaper up for sale. He received offers from several large newspaper chains, but eventually sold the newspaper to Robert Chandler. To make the purchase affordable, Sawyer only required a $6,000 down payment.