The Watauga Democrat was named a newspaper of general excellence by the North Carolina Press Association.

[3] The Watauga Democrat began as a political newspaper but quickly evolved into a highly respected non-partisan publication.

In July 1888, Joseph Spainhour began printing a weekly newspaper he named the Watauga Democrat.

The Powers operated the Democrat until 2002, when it was acquired by Jones Media, owner of the rival free weekly Mountain Times.

[2] In 2024, the Watauga Democrat played a crucial role in providing essential information to the community during Hurricane Helene.

The newspaper continued to report on the severe flooding and destruction in Watauga County, even as its staff faced power outages and communication disruptions.