About 150 years ago, Florida Railroad Company decided to build a railroad from Fernandina Beach to Cedar Key.  It hired Daniel Callahan to build bridges and road beds ahead of the crews who were laying the railroad tracks.  He was recalled fondly and the town was named in his honor.

Five years after the Florida Railroad arrived and just as Callahan was becoming the crossroads for commerce in Florida, the Civil War erupted.  During the war, troops tore up much of the newly laid railroad lines and Florida Railroad Company failed financially.

In 1868, reconstruction of Florida had begun and by 1872, the former Florida Railroad's lines had been restored.  During the following years, many reorganizations and mergers took place until the lines became Florida Central and Peninsular Railroad.  Despite all of the changes that took place for the railroad, Callahan was an important stop on the line and continued to grow.  By 1881, a new 71 mile line was built through Callahan from Waycross to Jacksonville.  Eventually, however, Callahan's railroad days became numbered.  The last of the old Florida Railroad lines that put Callahan on the map were torn out in 1974.  Freight trains don't rumble through town anymore and passenger service ended years ago, but the historic importance of the railroad to Callahan remains.

Elevation: 21 feet

Land area: 1.3 square miles

Zip code: 32011

(year 2000)
Median resident age: 32.9 years
Median household income: $25,234 Median house value: $81,300