About The Gazette
Freedom of speech and freedom of the press are the bedrock of American democracy. They're protected first in the Bill of Rights for a reason. But while these liberties remain intact on paper, we've seen a slow drift toward corporate control of the news. As print journalism became less profitable, many small, local news organizations—once rooted in and accountable to their communities—were absorbed by large national media companies. We believe your local news should come from people who live where you live, care about what you care about, and are invested in telling your story the right way.
"A newspaper in every house, and a good school in every district, are the principal support of virtue, morality, and civil liberty." -Benjamin Franklin
We are fortunate to live in a strong and beautiful community—but it didn’t happen by accident. This place we call home was built over generations by individuals making small, steady contributions of hard work, time, energy, money, and reputation. That spirit deserves to be celebrated—and preserved. As any student of history knows, most of what we know about the past comes from local newspapers and periodicals. The Abingdon Gazette is here to pick up that torch: to document the present, honor the past, and carry our shared story forward for future generations.
"Whoever would overthrow the liberty of a nation must begin by subduing the freeness of speech." -Benjamin Franklin
In an age where media is increasingly decentralized, the promise of open dialogue faces new threats. Nationalized narratives dominate our feeds, while local priorities are drowned out. Anonymity—whether through faceless avatars or corporate media with opaque agendas—erodes accountability. And as traditional local news struggles to survive, we risk losing the very spaces where ideas and opinions can be exchanged freely and respectfully. Free speech rarely dies by law—it dies by disuse. When neighbors stop listening to one another, when small, independent voices fade out, when meaningful stories are replaced by noise, our communities begin to unravel. The Abingdon Gazette exists to resist that decline—to reconnect us to one another, to amplify local voices, and to help preserve the foundations of the American experiment right here in our own county.
Bringing Back the Paper—Not Just the News, but the Feeling
Remember asking, “Did you see the paper this week?” Remember clipping out an article and mailing it to a friend, or seeing your neighbor’s name in print and giving them a call? Remember checking in—not just on the news, but on each other? Things aren’t as simple as they used to be, and sometimes you find yourself wondering—where did the newspaper go? While the Abingdon Gazette lives online, the spirit remains the same. We’re here to help our community come together again—to share stories, make new memories, and enshrine the old ones. To look back, even as we look ahead.
Join the Movement
Interested in contributing? Journalistic experience? Are you a writer or photographer? Please reach out to theabingdongazette@gmail.com