AMELIA NOW CELEBRATES 30TH ANNIVERSARY

This past summer marked the 30th year that Amelia Now has been in publication. I thought that called for a moment of reflection - not just because many small businesses don't survive for one year, much less 30, but because it's hard to believe how different the world has become in those 30 years.

For those of you who are reading Amelia Now for the first time, or perhaps have only been an island resident for a few years, the following passage, written by my mother and Amelia Now founder Helen Gordon Litrico, and originally printed in 1991 in The Best of Amelia Now, Volume One gives a detailed description of how Amelia Now was created:

'Amelia Now has come a long way since that first issue entitled THIS?WEEK on Amelia Island appeared the week of July 20-26, 1975. While the magazine was independent from the start, the need for it was created by Amelia Island Plantation. After the Plantation officially opened on July 4th 1974, visitors flocked to the premier resort via the Parkway and the South End, but, sad to say, they usually left without knowing there was anything else of interest on Amelia Island.

The forst issue of Amelia Now was
published in Summer 1975.
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They missed the quaint little seaport of Fernandina Beach entirely ... the Victorian architecture, the shrimpboats, Fort Clinch, the remarkable history, all the "local color."

So the magazine filled a niche by providing articles on historic Fernandina as well as the Plantation, and it included advertising for Fernandina shops, restaurants and other businesses. That first issue was 16 pages printed in brown ink on ivory paper. Back then, we printed one side of the paper in a quantity to last 13 weeks; then each week a portion of copies was printed on the remaining side with a change of date on the cover and changes in Plantation activities on the center spread. (That explains why that collector's copy with January on the cover and 1975 inside didn't actually come out until 1976.)

Amelia Now switched to a full-color format in 1983
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The activity changes were so few that they didn't warrant the extra printing costs. So, by the spring of 1976, the magazine was printed on a straight quarterly basis with the name changed to Amelia Now...and Then. This name continued through the summer 1976 issue.

There were no issues for fall 1976 and winter 1976 because of a slowdown in the local economy. Publication resumed in spring 1977 with the name shortened to Amelia Now. The major change in the late 70s and early 80s was the increase in circulation and advertisers and number of pages, as island development boomed.

After years of debate about sacrificing the old-timey look and the disctinction of printing in one color on colored stock, Amelia Now went to full color with the summer 1983 issue. Editorial matter evolved into a pattern combining articles essential for tourists' enjoyment with those appealing mostly to local readers. Visitors carried their copies back home all over the country, and locals mailed them to family and friends around the world.'

The following years brought more rapid growth to Amelia Island, and Amelia Now continued to grow as well. From the humble beginnings of the 16-page first issue, Amelia Now has grown steadily every year and now averages between 64 and 72 pages per issue. Circulation is now at approximately 160,000 copies annually. Our client base has grown as well. Currently there are over 175 local businesses advertising with Amelia Now.

This aerial photo shows downtown Fernandina in the 1970's. The old Welcome Station
at the lower left is now the site of Brett's Waterway Cafe. And the Hampton Inn now
stands on the site at the upper right behind the rail cars. This also shows
Centre Street before it received modern streetscaping in 1977.
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Speaking of advertisers, I would be remiss if I did not personally thank all of the local businesses that have helped make Amelia Now what it is today. Many of those clients have been with us for 20 to 25 years or more. In fact, as I was looking through the pages of that very first issue of Amelia Now, I find that two current advertisers, Robison Jewelry and Ship's Lantern, have been with Amelia Now since its inception. Thank you both for 30 years of support!

Hopefully, with the continued growth and good economic fortune that Amelia Island has experienced over the last three decades, and the wonderful support of so many area businesses, Amelia Now will continue to provide our readers with information on local history, nature, human interest stories, local lore and all the other editorial content that has filled our pages for over 30 years.
Thank you again to readers and advertisers alike!

Charles Litrico
Publisher