Thanks to a generous donation by the Ron Nicklaus and Todd Nicklaus families, the Merrill Historical Society recently digitized the paper copies of the Merrill Foto News in their archives, encompassing newspapers from 1969 through 1999.
The Nicklaus families were adamant that these papers be made available online to everyone without requiring a subscription or any fees to access them. The Merrill Historical Society has contracted with Res Carta, a website that works with non-profits, to host these issues of the Foto News so they are available to everyone free of charge. While there is a cost to the Historical Society, monies from the Nicklaus donation were available to cover the cost of the first two years. Access to the archives is available through a link on the Merrill Historical website beginning Dec. 31, 2022. Go to: website www.merrillhistory.org
This was a very costly endeavor and just the tip of the iceberg, so to speak, a representative from the Merrill Historical Society said. “We also have paper and microfilm copies of the Merrill Daily Heralds that cover some early years in 1900’s through 1978. Many of these papers are not in very good condition, so it may take more money to digitize the fragile papers. We will be looking for a major donor to cover these costs – somewhere between $30,000 and $50,000.”
“A big thank you again to Ron & Kay, Todd & Camille Nicklaus for their commitment to the Merrill Community in making this project possible.”
The Merrill Historical Society is a private nonprofit 501(c)3 corporation. Their mission is to educate the public about Merrill’s heritage using the unique historical and cultural resources they collect and preserve. The Merrill Historical Society is located at 100 E. Third St. in Merrill. Phone 715.536.5652 or go to www.merrillhistory.org to learn more.