The Whitney Messenger began publication in 1883, four years after the railroad town of Whitney was founded. Established by H. P. and J. O. Jones, the paper was purchased by J. T. and Dan S. Mayes in 1890. Dan Mayes, who gained full ownership in 1893, had started in the business in 1888 as an apprentice under H. P. Jones. Under Mayes' leadership, it grew from a four-page paper with about 400 readers to a 12-page paper with a circulation of about 1,700 by 1903. Throughout its history, the Whitney Messenger provided a significant service to the community and the surrounding area.