The Southfield Newsette
In October 1939, Frances Borowski founded the Southfield Newsette. It began as a mimeographed newsletter to be distributed among members of the Southfield Women’s Club. On 11 September 1946, the Newsette went from bi-weekly to weekly publication. Frances died 3 November 1947 (Southfield Newsette, 12 November 1947, p. 1) and, in 1948, the paper was bought by Thomas Thorburn. On 26 February 1948, the small Newsette was revised and became the Southfield News.
The Four Corners Press
Four Corners Press was published in the northern part of the township by Betty Lewis and Marion White. It served the 
communities of Southfield, Franklin, Bloomfield, West Bloomfield, and North Farmington. The first issue was published on 8 September 1949. On 20 April 1950, the Four Corners Press announced the purchase of the Southfield News from Thomas Thorburn and the paper became the Four Corners Press/Southfield News. A short time later, Thorburn was asked to take over the editorship and continued in this capacity until 1959.
The Southfield News & Observer
On 17 July 1970, after 21 years of publication, The Four Corners Press/Southfield News merged with the new Southfield Observer. The final issue was printed 16 July 1970, after which time the paper became the Southfield News & Observer, published twice each week. (The Southfield Observer, 15 July 1970, p. 1)
The Southfield Record
Southfield Record was a part of the “Northwest Suburban Newspapers” that included the Northwest Detroiter, the Southfield Record, the Oak Park News, and the Huntington Woods News. Apparently, the paper began in 1930 and ran until at least 1970.
Resources in the Library
Newspapers:
- Southfield Newsette (1939-1978)
- Southfield News (1948-1970)
- Four Corners Press (1949-1958)
- Southfield Sun (1963-1988)
- Southfield Record (1967-1979)
- Southfield Eccentric (1970-present)
See a Librarian at the Third Floor Reference Desk for assistance in using newspapers.
