In 1930, Col. McQueen and his brother Archie McQueen had a vision to create a newspaper for the people of Callahan. Today we continue that vision, with it expanded to include the people of Hilliard, Bryceville and Boulogne.
With more than 80 volumes of publication, we continue to strive to bring you your most accurate, in-depth local news and sports coverage. While our name has changed through the years, we can still proudly say the only other newspaper in Nassau County to publish longer than the Record is our sister, the News-Leader.
While we began as The Callahan News in 1930, today we are the Nassau County Record. The name changed Jan. 1, 1948, during our 18th year of publication. The front page notice reads, "A New Year – A New Name." It goes on to say, "We can look back a long way ... back to years that were better ... back to years that were not quite as good, but always, as we look back, we see the faces of a multitude of loyal friends. With the beginning of this new year the name of this newspaper is being changed. We are also anticipating making many improvements in the coming months that will enable us to render an ever greater service to this section of the state."
No other reason for the name change was given in the newspaper, but we can surmise that it was made to include not just the people of Callahan, but all our readers.
Through the years, our ownership has changed hands a few times, but the newspaper has faithfully arrived at area homes on Fridays for the first 45 issues in 1931 and every Thursday since July 30, 1931. On July 24, 1931, The Callahan News ran its first edition under the ownership of Lloyd Herrin.
He published a front-page letter to the readers, which noted: "With the help of all the people and the united support of the business men, a representative newspaper can be made a most important factor in the growth and future prosperity of Callahan and Nassau County, and can perform a service that can be done by no other agency. With these united forces behind us we can certainly put Callahan and the West Side of Nassau County on the map. All together in earnest for the uplift of our town and the securing of the things for which we are justly entitled."
How true Mr. Herrin's statement has proven. It does take all of us, from our in-house staff to the advertisers to the printers to the carriers and postal workers who deliver this fine product each week. And, very importantly, the terrific readers who invite us into their homes, reading and commenting on our stories and photographs and further supporting us by doing business with our advertisers.
In Mr. Herrin's 1931 letter, he notes "that we were welcome, that you want a good live newspaper continued in this little city, and that you are willing to support that kind of publication to the limit."
Tom Wood and W.H. "Dink" NeSmith, Jr. integrated the Nassau County Record into Community Newspapers, Inc. in 2000. Headquartered in Athens, Ga., the company includes 28 newspapers in Florida, Georgia and North Carolina. This gives our advertisers the opportunity to reach more than 167,000 households. Ads can be placed in any of CNI's newspapers through our local ad representative.
We ask that you continue to support us as we chronicle your lives, from your struggles and worries to your great victories. That kind of support will keep the Record strong for at least another 80 years.
Your commitment to us, whether through subscriptions or advertisements, allows us to continue recording the area’s news and sports. We’ll continue to write articles and take photographs both for you to enjoy now and to serve as historical documentation for future generations to explore.
More than 80 years strong, the Record remains your most dedicated source for local news and sports.