Founded in 1888, the Tillamook Headlight-Herald traces its roots back to W.F.D. Jones, who started the original paper called the Tillamook Headlight. The idea sparked because the growing, isolated coastal community needed a way to stay informed about local events, shipping news, and legal notices. Decades later, in 1934, the paper merged with its local rival, the Tillamook Herald, to form the combined publication that exists today. Currently, the newspaper is owned by Country Media, Inc., an independent media company that runs several community newspapers in Oregon. Today, the Tillamook Headlight-Herald is based in Tillamook, Oregon, and serves as the primary news source for Tillamook County. They focus heavily on hyper-local news, covering town council politics, high school sports, and police reports. They also provide extensive coverage of the region's massive dairy industry (famous for Tillamook Cheese) and environmental issues affecting the Oregon coast. One interesting fact: A unique fact about the Tillamook Headlight-Herald is that it is the oldest continuously operating business in the entire county. Established even before Tillamook was officially incorporated as a city, the newspaper has outlasted every other original shop and company in the area, documenting the history of the community for over 135 years.