In the summer of 2005, a group of friends gathered with the idea of creating an independent, locally owned newspaper that would represent the needs, issues and ideas of our community. The result is the Fitzhugh.

The name Fitzhugh was chosen for many reasons. Jasper was originally known as Fitzhugh, named after a vice-president and general manager of the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway, and our goal was to connect the past with the future and beyond. We wanted to incorporate the years of rail history which have contributed to the physical formation of our town as well as representing the people that worked so hard to expand the west.

Jasper is a community that is driven by people with spirit. The Fitzhugh aims to embody this trait to become a forum of information, discussion and, of course, character.

We distribute 2,500 free copies weekly during our peak season of May through October from over 95 locations in Jasper. Our distribution during the fall and winter months of November through April is 2,000 weekly.

In April 2012 the Fitzhugh was sold by The Jasper Media Group to Aberdeen Publishing Limited Partnership. Today it is published by Great West Media LP of St. Albert, Alberta.