In this issue the Gazette-Journal marks 75 years of service to Gloucester and Mathews counties with a special anniversary section.

The newspaper came about as a merger of the Gloucester Gazette (1919) and Mathews Journal (c. 1904) and was, frankly, a marriage fueled by lingering economic troubles caused by the Great Depression. Both county papers were having a hard time of it, and pursuing the future jointly seemed to be a good idea.

The early years were a time of struggle, but the new paper endured. And then came war, and paper was scarce with much space given over to presumably free ads exhorting readers to buy war bonds. And then came postwar and growth, which started slowly but accelerated into the last half of the 20th century.

Through all of the hard times and good times, the first mission—delivering the news—has continued. The Gazette-Journal built on a solid base established by the earlier county papers, in which thorough and timely reporting kept the people of Gloucester and Mathews informed of what their supervisors, and schools, and clubs were doing. In spite of all the changes of the past century, the content of the old papers seems oddly familiar to that of today’s paper.

We have endured and planned ahead on the basis of loyal support from our readers and advertisers. It has been our pleasure for many generations now to serve as "Your Hometown Newspaper." The condition and progress of Gloucester and Mathews counties remain our greatest interest.

Today we look with interest toward the future, one in which the format and delivery of news seem ever-changing. But news remains the same. We want to be your local source for years to come.