A small area of some work done by the Mural Society in Brooksville behind Patricia's Boutique and the Rising Sun Cafe.

The City of Brooksville was incorporated in 1880 being named after a Senator Brooks of South Carolina - a hero in the eyes of many southerners when he came to the defense of the south in Congress.  The City of Brooksville purchased the building in 1997 to serve its administrative headquarters.  The third floor is rented out to the Hernando County Property Appraiser's Office.  The City Hall Art Gallery is located on the first and second floors and focuses on art by local citizens.  Some of the exhibits have included paintings, quilts, photos, poetry, pottery, and jewelfy.  Exhibits change everytwo or three months.  Open M-F 9-5.  Free to public.  Restrooms available for public use.

Part of the Gallery within City Hall - July 2006 Exhibit

Many of the streets in the tour were paved with Augusta in 1919.

38 Irene Street. 

Built around 1910 by Miss Christian Cook.  her father, James Cook, owned land in this area which was known as Cook Subdivision.

This Victorian style structure with upstairs and downstairs verandas was built by John Taylor around 1880.

This beautiful Colonial Revival home was built in 1905 by local druggist, Roy Newman Chelf, who relocated here in the 1880's from Kentucky.  The Chelf's were related to the Rogers (of Rogers' Christmas House) and Lingles.  Notice the huge sagos in front of the house.

Built around 1895, this house was occupied by the Arick family.

Built around 1900, this is an example of Queen Anne style architecture.

This 1900 Colonial Revival strucure is believed to have been owned by E.E. Stoudemire and was the site of one of Brooksville's fist hospitals.

This bungalow, built around 1910, was occupied by a member of the Stoudemire family.

This Gothic Revival structure was the original St. Anthony's Catholic Church in Brooksville.  This area's Catholic community celebrated its first Mass on Easter 1874.  Services were held in private homes from 1874 until 1908 when this permanent structure was built.  A priest from Saint Anthony's Parish in San Antonio, FL provided services on a regular basis.  This structure is now a private residence.  An old cemetary, located behind the old church, is also privately owned and is believed to be the final resting place of some of the earliest residents of Brooksville.

This house dates to around 1910.  Notice the huge camphor tree in front.

Built at a later time than the church, this house served as the parsonage of St. Anthony's Church and is now a private residence.

This Gothic Revival house ws built around 1890.  Alice and Junius Rogers lived here in the early 1900's.  They owned Rogers' Dept. Store on N Main Street, the family forerunner of the Rogers' Christmas House.  Mary Belle Rogers & Margaret Rogers Ghiotto who were born in this house then became the owners of Rogers' Christmas House after that.

This lovely Queen Anne style building, built in 1888, was once the home of William Sherman Jennings, elected Governor of Florida in 1900.  Jennings moved to Brooksville in 1886 and started practicing law.  He served as judge, city commissioner and state representative before serving as one of Florida's most successful governors.  His wife, May Mann Jennings, was an equally prominent person. She was the co-founder of the Florida League of Women Voters and campaigned for women's rights, prohibition, funding for education, and many other causes.  one of her greatest endeavors, however, may have been her fight to preserve the Florida Everglades.  The Jennins family lived here until about 1910 when the home was sold to Junius M. Rogers and his wife Alice Spencer Mudd Rogers.  Plaques honoring William Serhman Jennings and May Mann Jennings were placed on this building in October, 2001 as part of the Great Floridian 2000 Program.

was organized on April 29, 1883 and at first held services in various locations.  There were two other church sites until this structure was built in June 1951.  The stained glass windows were in the original church.

This bungalow was built in 1927 by Mary and Delbert Springstead, who ran the City Market on Main Street, directly across from the courthouse.

This Colonial Revival was built around 1890 by W.E. Law.  Notice the sleeping porches on the left side of the house which are now enclosed.

38 Irene Street. 

Built around 1910 by Miss Christian Cook.  her father, James Cook, owned land in this area which was known as Cook Subdivision.

Built in 1911 by Miss Christian Cook, who married Neil F. Law, Sr.  Their son, Neil F. Law, Jr. was born here in 1917 and is known for donating land for the Brooksville Country Club.

This residence was originally built durin the 1920's land boom as a duplex for rental purposes.  It has since been converted into a single residence.

This frame vernacular with a side hall was built in the late 1800's by John C. Burrell, publisher of the Brooksville Star, a local newspaper.  The first home in Brooksville to feature an indoor bathroom.

This and other Walking Tour pages to come are credited to:

 

The Brooksville Mural Society as Sponsored by Florida Power, A Progress Energy Company.

 

Special thanks to Jane Maitski (Compiler of original printed version)

Virginia Jackson, Frasier Mountain, Mary Alice Queiros, Hernando County Historical Museum, Old Brooksville In Photos & Stories by Bob martinez, A History fo Hernando County by Richard J. Stansback, Sun Journal and all other swho took the time to help gather this information.

 

Web page design by David Curtis

Photography by David Curtis

 

Thanks also to:

The Brooksville Mural Society, Inc.,

The Brooksville City Hall Art Gallery

 

This web site is financed by the courtesy of the members of the Brooksville Business Alliance.

 

 

 

WALKING TOUR - Page One