A century is certainly a long time, and it is with no small degree of pride that the Rocky Mount Telegram is celebrating 100 years of covering the Twin Counties.

During those decades, the Telegram reported on the effects of war, depression, strife and social change on the surrounding community. It celebrated the many accomplishments and good works in the area and focused on the challenges confronting it and the tragedies that befell it.

Much has changed over the decades since Josh Horne launched the newspaper called the Evening Telegram — yet many of the same issues have remained. The challenges of maintaining economic growth and adapting to new circumstances and technologies affect us now every much as they did in the past. Tragedies and high-profile crimes continue to occur, while good works and community involvement remain key to improving the quality of life for everyone in the area.

Through all the years, the Telegram arrived each day on doorsteps and in racks across the area, as a steady stream of journalists, advertising reps, circulation workers and other staff members took their turns at the newspaper’s helm. Each new generation brought a new perspective and often a new look to the paper, but the commitment to strong and fair community journalism remained constant.

Even in today’s high-tech media environment, there is no substitute for community journalism generated at the local level by people who live in the community they report on. As we at the Telegram strive to fairly and accurately document and explain events as they unfold in the area, we are also affected by them. We are as much a part of the community as the people and institutions we cover.

So as we mark our 100-year anniversary, we pledge to continue our efforts to produce fair, high-quality journalism that is an asset to the community.