Hi there,

Four years ago, I hit “publish” on the first feature on Down in the County. It was a meditative, image-rich story on the Cherry Branch Ferry, which is still the easiest, most fuel-efficient way to leave or enter Pamlico County. It went out to a small handful of readers, most of whom I knew personally.

Since then, our readers have increased more than tenfold. Down in the County now reaches nearly 5,000 subscribers. I traveled to businesses, homes, churches and nonprofit offices throughout the county, learning the unique stories of the people who live here.

We’ve showcased the work of half a dozen contributors across over 100 stories. Some of our contributors pass through the county for a short period of time during their education. Others have come to call the waters by Pamlico their home.

We’ve expanded our coverage with the help of grants from Press Forward and NC Local News Lab Fund, and we’re working on increasing funding in the coming year so we can continue to offer deep dives into Pamlico’s events, history and daily life.

And none of this would be possible without you, the reader. Your enthusiasm for the work Down in the County does keeps me engaged and dedicated to bringing news, history, and a photographic record of this defiant, joyful rural place where the land and the sea meets the sky.

Thank you,

Andrea Bruce

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