The Record turns 53

The Penny Record, started by Walter Gaston in 1960, was bought by Roy Dunn in 1995. Shortly thereafter, the County Record made its debut and led to the widest circulation of any newspaper in Orange County.

The Record’s web site, TheRecordLive.Com, made its debut in 2008 and is one of the fastest growing web sites in Orange County. The Record has even expanded to reach their readers by providing e-editions, which can be found on http://www.issue.com, and by using Facebook to better connect with the community.

The original office in Bridge City was destroyed by Hurricane Ike. The staff is split between two offices, one in Bridge City and one in Orange. The Bridge City office houses the distribution staff and the advertising sales reps, while the Orange office houses the editorial staff. One thing that hasn’t changed is the readership and acceptance of the paper.

The Record is an award-winning newspaper, winning awards in every category possible, and continues to be the only free, hometown newspaper in Orange County. The Record is locally owned and operated, which is rare by today’s standards.

“The Penny Record has grown with the community,” Dunn said. “It’s had its ups and downs. The advertisers support the paper because there’s no charge [for the reader]. Every citizen gets a [free] paper regardless if they want it or not!”

The Record was given the Business of the Year award by the Bridge City Chamber of Commerce in 2011.