1997CRE1322A A TRIBUTE TO THE BERNARDSVILLE NEWS
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Archive-Name: gov/us/fed/congress/record/1997/jun/25/1997CRE1322A
[Congressional Record: June 25, 1997 (Extensions)]
[Page E1322-E1323]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:cr25jn97-24]
A TRIBUTE TO THE BERNARDSVILLE NEWS
______
HON. RODNEY P. FRELINGHUYSEN
of new jersey
in the house of representatives
Wednesday, June 25, 1997
Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to The
Bernardsville News, an institution that has brightened the lives and
expanded the horizons of north central New Jerseyans for the past
century. This Saturday, June 28, 1997, The Bernardsville News and those
that print it will celebrate its 100th anniversary. Mr. Speaker, I am
honored and proud to be included in this wonderful celebration.
In the era of media moguls and mega mergers, where corporate
behemoths like Disney and Ted Turner battle over billions, it seems
nothing is consistent anymore. That is precisely what makes this
hallmark so significant. For 100 years, the journalists and editors at
The Bernardsville News have recorded the current events of New Jersey--
the people, the places, and the effects they've had on our lives and
communities.
The newspaper has been a mainstay of the community since its debut as
The Bernardsville Beacon in February, 1897, followed by its second
issue on March 6, 1897, when it appeared as The Bernardsville News.
The News has been guided by a series of five publishing families,
starting with a local Presbyterian minister and his son in 1897, who
founded the newspaper before selling it in 1902 to the H.C. Rowell
family who in turn sold it to Levi and Helena Trumbull in 1907.
Levi Trumbull, 74 at the time of his purchase of the paper, ran the
newspaper until poor health forced him into an ill-fated sale of the
paper in 1915 to its competitors, The Bernardsville Recorder newspaper
whose owners ran the paper for about 7 months, accumulated massive
debts and disappeared.
That merger created the Recorder Publishing Co., however, which is
the corporate name of the newspaper's publishing company today.
The Trumbull family reclaimed the newspaper in February 1916 and
their son Carl Trumbull ran the newspaper until 1955 when his family
sold to Charles McDermott.
McDermott added a second newspaper, The Mendham-Chester Tribune, and
sold both newspapers to The Bernardsville News' current owners,
Cortlandt and Nancy Parker, in 1957.
The Parker family is celebrating its 40th anniversary of ownership
this year and has expanded the newspaper group from two community
newspapers to 14 weekly newspapers, including two newspapers serving
large condominium complexes in the area, with paid combined circulation
of about 50,000 households in northern Somerset County, Morris County
and northern Hunterdon County in central New Jersey.
The Parkers' four children follow the Parker tradition by maintaining
an active involvement in producing these newspapers. This tradition of
service has brought us a vivid chronicle of history and a record of
events both current and past, and it has helped preserve many public
and private institutions in New Jersey. For this we can only say thank
you.
Readership is testament to initial quality of product. But longevity
is testament to the commitment and dedication of professionals who
[[Page E1323]]
have succeeded in keeping The Bernardsville News on every coffee table
and front porch in Far Hills, Peapack-Gladstone, Bedminster Township
and Bernards Township for the past 100 years.
Mr. Speaker, if the current quality of The Bernardsville News is any
indication, I have every confidence that a similar group of grateful
New Jerseyans will gather in 2097 for the 200th Anniversary Celebration
of The Bernardsville News.
____________________