A book 150 years in the making will finally be published in about nine months.

The Independent, in conjunction with Marshall’s 150th anniversary in 2022, will be publishing “The Sesquicentennial: Cultivating 150 Years of History in Marshall and Lyon County.”

Independent Publisher Gregory Orear has been working with the Marshall 150th Anniversary committee to produce a book that’s not only historic in nature, but unique to Marshall and Lyon County.

“This history book will be unlike any other before it,” Orear explained. “Why? Because it will contain the unique stories of the individuals who literally made Marshall and Lyon County’s history … taken straight from the newspapers that preserved that history.”

Orear and a group of volunteer researchers have been pouring through old newspapers, dating back to the Prairie Schooner in 1873, Marshall’s first newspaper.

The contents of the book will feature two dedicated pages to each year from 1873-2022, highlighting the top stories of the year not only from Marshall and Lyon County, but state and nationwide as well. Complete with historic photos, the pages will be designed in the style of newspapers of that era.

“When you open this book, it will be like stepping back in time,” Orear said. “It will not only feel like you are reading a newspaper from 1902, you will actually be reading the top news stories published in local newspapers in 1902.”

As for those stories, Orear said they are as interesting and unique as the people they are about.

“I can tell you stories about a Marshall pioneer who was the first person married in St. Paul, or a Granite Falls dentist chased out of town by a lynch mob, or allegations of a local farmer raising wolves so he could collect a bounty on them in Montana,” Orear said. “And that’s just from a couple of years.”

Some of those stories are going to be featured in upcoming editions of The Independent. Beginning Monday, Dec. 20, The Independent will begin publishing a weekly feature, Back in the Day, containing an excerpt from the book.

In addition to the 300-plus pages of content, the book will also feature a leather-type cover with gold embossed lettering. Design of the cover remains a work in progress, Orear said.

“This type of material gives the book a dark, rich and classical appearance,” Orear said. “It’s not only functional in terms of durability, but it will look great on a coffee table.”

The book will also feature a brief introduction written by Lyon County History Center Director Jennifer Andriess, highlighting the area’s history pre-1873.

The book will be available in August, 2022 in conjunction with Marshall’s 150th celebration. However, pre-orders are being taken through June 30 at a discount price of $44.95 each.

Each copy of this first edition book will be individually numbered. The quantity of books to be printed has yet to be determined.

Orear previously published a similar book in 2000 called “The Millennium: The Definitive History of Linn County.” After selling out all 800 copies of the first edition in less than two weeks, four subsequent editions were published, totaling 2,000 copies.

Copies of that book are available to be previewed at The Independent office.