• Newspaper
  • Community
  • History

    The Ironton Tribune started publication on August 1, 1928, when the Irontonian and the Ironton Register were merged into one publication. The Register was founded in 1850 and the Irontonian in 1874. The Tribune moved from Railroad Street in downtown Ironton to 2903 S. Fifth Street in 1974. In 1979, the Tribune was acquired by Boone Newspapers, Inc. based out of Tuscaloosa, Ala. In 2021, The Tribune relocated to their current location in historic downtown Ironton at 211 Center Street.

    The Tribune strives to be the number one source for news, sports and advertising in all of Lawrence County, Ohio, and the surrounding communities of Ashland, Ky., and Huntington, W.Va.. The Ironton Tribune offers the best news, sports and marketing coverage in these areas and its products reach more than 75 percent of households in a month. The Tribune also publishes a weekend shopper, The Extra, along with a bi-monthly lifestyle magazine, Tri-State Living, that showcases all the great people and places in the communities we serve throughout the Tri-State area.

    Mission Statement

    The Ironton Tribune and its employees strive:

    • To produce exciting, top-quality news publications focusing on people and events that affect the Tri-State;
    • To bend over backwards to meet the needs of our advertisers;
    • To report news accurately and without bias;
    • To edit and publish with integrity and with the best interests of our community in mind;
    • To operate at a profit level that allows us to fairly compensate our employees, reinvest in our organization and stand independent from outside influences;
    • To take an active leadership role in our community;
    • To do what we say we will do;
    • And, above all, to treat our readers, our advertisers and our employees as we would like to be treated ourselves.

    Internet presence

    www.irontontribune.com (main news site)

  • Population

    Ironton: 10,571
    Lawrence County: 58,240

    Climate

    The Ironton community experiences four seasons with hot, humid summers, moderate winters and moderate springs and falls. Ironton is on the same latitude as Washington, D.C., area and generally experiences a similar climate.

    Economy

    The community’s economic base consists largely of heavy industries. Lawrence County is home to a 505-acre industrial park that offers enterprise-zone financing, access to rail, barge and truck transportation and the latest in infrastructure improvements. A river port is located along the Ohio River adjacent to the industrial park that is the only one of its kind within a 200-mile radius of Lawrence County. A state-of-the-art gas-fired power plant recently went online in the area and a new high-tech coke plant is under construction as well.

    Major employers

    Ironton City Schools, JennMar McSweeney Inc, Harbor Healthcare, Lawrence County Government, Vertiv, McGinnis Inc., Ohio University, Rock Hill Schools, South Point Schools, Walmart Stores.

    Education

    Lawrence County is home to seven public school districts and one private school that offer a quality, well-rounded curriculum with a tech-prep option. Collins Career Technical Center offers high school and adult career and technical training to the region. Ohio University Southern in Ironton and Marshall University in nearby Huntington, W.Va. are universities of regional distinction offering a variety of four-year degree programs, as well as a law and medical school at Marshall.

    History

    Ironton was founded in 1816. The county’s chief source of wealth was the iron and coal mined locally. The coal industry flourished from the 1830s until after World War I. The iron industry continued to produce until the 1990s. In addition to its industrial heritage, Lawrence County is home to a number of stops along the famous Underground Railroad that helped guide runaway slaves to freedom.

    Recreation

    The Ironton area offers the perfect locale for hunting, fishing and other outdoor recreation. The Wayne National Forest occupies 33 percent of the land in the county.

    Interesting tidbit

    The Ironton Memorial Day Parade is the longest running Memorial Day Parade in the nation. The first parade was held in 1868.

    Area information

    Lawrence County Area Chamber of Commerce
    740-377-4550
    www.lawrencecountyohio.org