Brooksville Florida Museums
Photo Courtesy of Hernando Historical Museum and Association
Brooksville 1885 Train Depot
Less than an hour north of Tampa, Florida, is a lovely little town called Brooksville, the county seat for Hernando County. Founded in 1880, and home to around 10,000 residents, Brooksville offers more than just picturesque scenery.
My exploration led me to the Hernando Historical Museum and Association, a treasure trove comprised of the 1885 Train Depot, the Countryman One-Room Schoolhouse, and the May-Stringer House. Eager to immerse myself in local history, I purchased a museum membership, anxious to delve into their stories. My initial explorations centered on the Train Depot, a pivotal site in Brooksville’s development, and this narrative aims to highlight its importance with the hope of encouraging your discovery of these historical gems.
Stepping inside the Brooksville Train Depot is like entering a bygone era. Wood was the primary building material, and the depot stands as a testament to the durability of its construction. To the right of the entrance, the original train ticket sales window now serves museum admissions and membership tickets. It was here that I first had the pleasure of meeting Ted Majer, a truly engaging docent. He masterfully recounted the compelling story of the railway’s conception, its subsequent construction, and the burgeoning demand that fueled its growth.
As Ted led me through the depot’s history, I was surrounded by a rich tapestry of historical maps, photographs, and informative diagrams, including portraits of the station’s founders. As an avid reader of museum exhibits, I found the displays captivating. Preserved cabinets once housed courthouse records, and intriguing artifacts like telegraph equipment for Morse code communications, and an old candlestick phone offered tangible links to the past. I even enjoyed a crackly but memorable call to my husband using the old candlestick phone system.
Our Zest for Life Images
Docent Ted Majer, Historian & Author Suzanne Touchton Our Zest for Life Photo
The narrative of the early railroad expansion across the country is one of backbreaking labor, Native American wars, disease, and the difficulties of climate and terrain. If you have any interest in history, the building of the railroads is a fascinating period to read about. I highly recommend the book Life and Times of the “Brooksville Short” and Russell Street Depot, by historian Suzanne L. Touchton. I was fortunate to meet Suzanne. She knew the answers to all my questions. Her book is a fascinating look into how the railroads came to be.
Several aspects of the early railroad era and its progress particularly resonated with me. The 1880s were a period of immense opportunity and excitement, fueled by the allure of new land and homesteading, and the growing railway system. Similar to the societal impact of the internet in the 1990s, the railways dramatically reduced distances, enabling the swift transport of goods compared to the slower pace of horse-drawn carriages and boats. With the advent of dredging in the Florida south by saw manufacturer Hamilton Disston, large sections of submerged marshlands were opened up for agriculture. The invention of the steam engine revolutionized train transport, attracting northerners and wealthy investors to the southern states. Notably, Thomas Edison invested in Florida locales and he encouraged Henry Ford to winter there. This is the climate in which the Brooksville railway was founded: excitement in growth and the potential for wealth.
The rail lines started to expand throughout the United States with the invention of the steam engine in 1814. Businessman Henry Bradley Plant began the rise of the Florida railroad when he obtained a charter for the Florida Southern Railroad. He was one of the first railroad barons, second only to Henry Morrison Flagler, whose railroad empire eventually extended his reach from Jacksonville to St. Augustine, and on to Key West with the building of a remarkable overseas railroad.
In 1884, four affluent men (J. Parsons, C.C. Keathly, J. Hale and W.S. Hancock) recognized the potential for profit through rail system expansion into Brooksville. Many men with money were often gentleman farmers who grew crops that were maintained by others. There already was huge interest in bringing the rail into rural towns to transport a vast amount of materials for building, textiles, and agriculture. With the proximity of the 1884 Southern Florida Railway only a few miles from Brooksville, they formed the Brooksville Railroad Association and Telegraph Company. They paid the Florida Southern Railroad to lay twelve miles of track from Croom to Brooksville. The train depot was built in 1885 through the sale of bonds. It is this same depot that I visited and which is pictured here.
Initially, the railroad primarily provided the transport of goods. Over time passenger service developed, with the earliest passenger cars more like stagecoaches on wheels. It was not until the passenger cars went through many evolutions that we can now enjoy today’s comfortable railway cars with sleeping and dining accommodations.
I strongly recommend multiple visits to the museum, as the docent-led tour easily extended beyond 45 minutes, especially given my numerous questions, which Docent Ted patiently and thoroughly answered. How fascinating it was to hear how train travel shrank the perceived distances of the world.
Offered also at the Train Depot are “spine-tingling ghost stories” and the opportunity to enter a real train car!
Countryman One-Room Schoolhouse
After my third visit to the train depot, I strolled over to the one-room schoolhouse adjacent to the depot. A docent was present with an audience all seated at authentic wooden student desks. The guide graciously consented to my taking pictures while she spoke.
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The walls were covered with schoolwork that might be found in the days of the one-room schoolhouse. I remember my parents, born in the 1930s, recounting their experiences with schoolhouses in northern Michigan. Most one-room schoolhouses were closed nationally by the 1950s. Due to the scarcity of finding a surviving original one-room schoolhouse in the state of Florida, the Historical Museum Association undertook years of fundraising and constructed an authentic replica. Today it stands as part of the Hernando Historical Museum Association. It is a treat to step back in time, enjoying the insights shared through museum docents. I highly recommend the experience here. Kids may laugh at the way things were in these classrooms compared to today’s.
The May Stringer House
During my short time in Brooksville, I never made it to the May-Stringer House. This 19th century home contains exhibits dating back to the Civil War. Here too there is a museum docent who will guide you through the historic home.
Evidently the May-Stringer House is listed as one of the 10 most haunted locations in Florida, and is certified as haunted. There are ghost tours offered here. I will have to try the guided tour my next time in Brooksville.
I hope you enjoy visiting the three museums and learning about the rich history found through their guided tours.
