[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 66 (Friday, May 13, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E889]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        HONORING THE CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION OF CALLAHAN, FLORIDA

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                          HON. ANDER CRENSHAW

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                          Friday, May 13, 2011

  Mr. CRENSHAW. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Centennial 
Celebration of the Town of Callahan in Nassau County, Florida, which 
received its Charter on May 23, 1911. It is my privilege to represent 
the warm, friendly people in this small municipality. Although it is 
only 1.3 square miles in size, Callahan stands at the crossroads of 
major transportation links to Jacksonville and Georgia. For the 
surrounding rural, isolated farms, Callahan is town.
  As with much of Northeast Florida, the railroad brought development 
and people to what had been wild, wet timber lands and home to the 
Timucuan Indians. Callahan was no exception. More than 150 years ago, 
David Yulee, owner of the Florida Railroad Company and Florida's first 
U.S. Senator, hired a seasoned railroad man named Daniel Callahan to 
prepare the land for the laying of railroad tracks across the middle of 
Nassau County. Many of Florida's pioneer family members worked on the 
rail for 23 cents a day. At that time, the economy mostly centered on 
the logging business although herds of cattle, horses and hogs roamed 
the still unfenced countryside as farmers and ranchers worked hard 
under the Florida sun.
  During construction, a railroad station was built where the tracks 
cross Kings Road, now called U.S. 1. A post office soon followed. The 
Sharon Baptist Church was already there surrounded by farms. The 
railroad turned the sleepy settlement into a bustling rail camp, and a 
town was born. Years after Daniel Callahan had moved on to build other 
railroads, the people officially named the town in his honor.
  Today, the historic train depot is home to the Greater Nassau County 
Chamber of Commerce and the West Nassau Historical Society. For the 
past several years it has hosted the Railroad Days Festival, where 
hundreds of folks come to enjoy small-town activities like parades, 
clowns, American flags, face painting, and ax throwing contests, and of 
course, model train displays in the lovingly restored old wood 
building. Also on site is a restored rail segment and caboose, a 
favorite of the children.
  Although a significant retail district grew nearby the depot and a 
block of beautiful brick stores replete with balconies remains, 
Callahan's town center has moved slightly north from the railroad track 
to the intersection of A1A, Lem Turner Highway, and U.S. 1. Here 
several red brick government buildings, along with small shops--some 
national franchises but many local longtime businesses, continue to 
serve the folks surrounding the Town. Two restaurants have large local 
followings--The Pig and the Chicken House. If you want good barbeque 
and a cold glass of sweet tea, you can't find a better place than in 
Callahan.
  Almost everyone in Callahan attends church, and church activities are 
the backbone of most weekly social events. But Callahan also boasts 
annual events, like the Blueberry Festival, the Northeast Florida Fair, 
the Rodeo, and the Christmas Parade that draw hundreds of visitors.
  As we celebrate the Centennial Anniversary of this charming rural 
community in West Nassau County, I congratulate my good friend, Mayor 
Shirley Graham, the Town Council, and all who have made this occasion 
special. But I especially laud the townspeople and those who live just 
outside the town limits on their neighborliness, their can-do spirit, 
and small-town warmth. When I think of what makes up the heart and soul 
of America, I need look no farther than Callahan, Florida.

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