Contact us at: truedakotan@venturecomm.net

The Wessington Springs True Dakotan is the official newspaper for the towns of Lane, Alpena, and Wessington Springs South Dakota. It is also the official paper for Jerauld County, Alpena School District, and the Wessington Springs School District.

The Wessington Springs “True Dakotan” began publication in the fall of 1975. The Wenzel brothers, –Duke & Karen Wenzel, and Craig & Penny Wenzel– have owned and operated the business since its inception.

The newspaper is still produced in the 100-year old “print shop” “a printing museum in its own right — on Main Street in Wessington Springs. The building previously housed businesses like the Wessington Springs “True Republican” and “Tamblyn Printing”. The building is filled with printing antiques and memorabilia including original wooden block type, marble-top print shop tables called “stones”, hand operated printing presses, and cabinets filled with type-filled drawers. Although the “True Dakotan” is not considered old in the circles of South Dakota newspapers, the publication spans the gap between hot metal type and today”s computers. The first issues of the paper were produced with the same hot-lead linotype machine that revolutionized the printing industry around the end of the 19th century. Today the paper is produced with computers, emails, digital cameras and internet services, and is printed on a modern web press.

To place an ad or to subscribe, please contact us at:

True Dakotan

PO Box 358

Wessington Springs, SD 57382

or email truedakotan@venturecomm.net or tdn@venturecomm.newt

telephone 605-539-1281 or fax 605-539-9315