The Gilman Star published its last edition July 31, ending 155 years of covering news in Iroquois County on a weekly basis.

Publisher John Elliott announced the decision in his weekly front-page column “As We See It.”

“I’m sad to see it go,” the 77-year-old Elliott said in a story published by the Ford County Chronicle.

He took over the reins from his father, Henry “George” Elliott, in the mid-1970s upon the retirement of his father.

“A lot of people put a lot of hours into it over the years,” John Elliott wrote. “I’ve enjoyed it. “I’ve enjoyed being out in the community. I’ve enjoyed doing the sports.”

The paper has been a family affair.

The elder Elliott, purchased The Star from the Siemons family in 1949 after moving to Gilman, according to the Chronicle story.

Elliott’s father worked in newspapers in Iowa and Illinois.

Battling health issues, Elliott said he decided the time had come to cease publishing.

Another reason being the struggles in the newspaper industry, which has seen the number of papers dwindle at a rapid pace with the loss of advertising income and circulation.

“I’ve enjoyed it, but, as you know, it’s changed,” Elliott said in the Chronicle article.

The Star had a circulation of 3,300, but it had shrunk to half of that, Elliott said in the Chronicle story.

“We used to have three car dealerships here (in Gilman), but they’re not here anymore. We had a couple grocery stores, a couple car dealers — you were able to get some advertising back then and make a go of it,” Elliott said in the Chronicle article.