Historic Hernando Preservation Society

Dr. Lu Vickers will cover the history of Weeki Wachee from its very beginnings in 1947. This talk will feature vintage photographs of the mermaids from the earliest days performing silent ballets to the heyday when ABC built them a million dollar theater.

• Thursday, April 4th 6:30pm – 8:00pm
• Brooksville Womans Club
• 131 S Main St, Brooksville, FL 34601

This program is sponsored by the Florida Humanities Council with funds from the Florida Department State, Division of Cultural Affairs and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture. The Florida Humanities Council partners with community organizations around the state. Support for the Speaker Series is provided by the Florida Humanities Council with funds from the Florida Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs.

The City of Brooksville is now accepting nominations for the 2019 “Great Brooksvillian” Award.

This annual program recognizes the outstanding men and women who have made significant positive contributions to the history, culture and/or economy of our great community. Each year the Brooksville City Council will make a selection from the nominees. A perpetual plaque will be maintained in Brooksville City Hall to commemorate and memorialize each year’s honoree, and an individual plaque will be presented to the honoree and his/her family at a reception held in their honor. Information, program criteria and nomination forms are available for download on the City’s website at www.cityofbrooksville.us. Or stop by City Hall (201 Howell Avenue) or the Jerome Brown Community Center (99 Jerome Brown Place). Deadline for submission of nominations is Friday, June 07, 2019. Completed forms must be received by the City Clerk no later than 5:00 p.m. For further information, contact the Office of the City Clerk, Deputy City Clerk, Sandra Kirby, of Brooksville, Florida at (352) 540-3853, or by email: skirby@cityofbrooksville.us.

A very important Public/Community Meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, March 6, 2019 @ 6:30 pm at Brooksville City Hall located at 201 Howell Ave, Brooksville, FL 34601. This meeting is open to the public & all residents of the area in order to meet with archaeologists from GARI, Gulf Archaeology Research Institute www.gulfarchaeology.org to learn from you any information that would benefit in understanding CHOCOCHATTI “Red House.” Studies on this Florida Historic Landmark Site will be conducted from 2019-2020. They will also discuss their research design and scope of studies anticipated in the upcoming months. The Seminole Tribe of Florida Tribal Historic Preservation Office www.stofthpo.com will also be participating wih GARI in this most important research of Chocochatti. We look forward to seeing you then!

Please watch the Dedication of the Chocochatti Historic Marker in 2014:

CHOCOCHATTI MARKER DEDICATION:
http://hernandocountyfl.iqm2.com/Citizens/VideoScreen.aspx?MediaID=6514&Frame=None

Members,                    

As we are nearing March of 2019,  we have accomplished many things because of you, who make up our membership and contribute with unpaid volunteer hours and time, membership dues, serving as board members.  At this time we especially remember the legacy of Roger Sherman to our Preservation Society who was our Parliamentarian/Vice President and who began this year with a great lecture on historic home design while raising funds to complete the Garden Grove Historic Marker to be dedicated in a few months.  He will be missed but his legacy of volunteerism inspires us to continue.                   

Several historical field trips were made by our group in the recent past which was organized by Brooksville “Bev” and Sue Russo.  Thanks to Vickie Jimmerson’s cousin Caesar Gonzmart for his tour in Ybor City.  Other trips are being planned. Thanks to President Vickie Jimmerson for guiding us into 2019 and running our meetings smoothly.                    

The Florida Humanites Speaker Series began in November and resumed this past week with a great presentation on the Civilian Conservation Corps.  The months of April & May will bring new lectures on Weeki Wachee & Florida Cattle Ranching.   Thanks to all of you for setting up, getting the word out, and making these a success!                       

Volunteers have staffed the outreach table at The Brooksville Raid, The Brooksville Native American Festival, and most recently Heritage Day (Celebrating the birthday of Hernando County in 1843).  Our next big outreach opportunity will be Art in the Park on March 9-10th.  We will have a great time selling hot dogs and raising funds as we have done there the past several years, thanks to the opportunity by the Hernando County Fine Arts Council, namely Jan Knowles & again Roger Sherman.                         

Although not an officially sponsored event by Hernando Past, our group helped advertise & promote a Historic Home Workshop this past week at the May-Stringer Museum,  where thousands of dollars of restoration work was accomplished at the window makeover workshop.  JoAnne Peck was instrumental in this important event at the Hernando Historical Museum Association.                        

Board Member David Letasi just completed a presentation to a group of traveling scholars on the pre-history of Hernando County and Florida at the Chinsegut Hill Retreat.   He has donated his $200 honorarium to Hernando Past!  Thank you Dave!                       

There are more opportunities for volunteerism with Hernando Past coming up with the commencement of a two year archaeological study at Chocochatti.  A public meeting is planned for the first week of March at City Hall, which will be announced soon.  And this coming fall, for six weeks, from September through November, we will be hosting Museum on Mainstreet: Hometown Teams: How Sports Shape America,  a traveling Smithsonian Exhibit which will be on display at the Brooksville Mining Association Enrichment Center (The Quarry) Volunteers will be needed for set-up, programs, as tour guides (docents), and to dissemble the exhibit as well.                           

Thanks to our volunteers for staffing the outreach tables,  setting up for lectures, and other volunteer activities  including Debbie Charlow, Janet Clark, Rick Fraker,  Mike & Char Goldman, Vickie & Buddy Jimmerson, Jan Knowles, David & Sue Letasi, Dorwin Skinner, Nina Mattei, Ken Morgan, Brooksville “Bev,” Susan Russo,  JoAnne Peck, Max & Calli, Joyce Rinehart, Richard Tombrink, Robert Twomey, Sid Taylor, Andrea Vicente, Douglas Ponticos, Tommy Blackmon, Beverly Lewis, Terry Cremin, Doug Davis, Patricia Taylor, Caesar Gonzmart, the GFWC Historic Brooksville Woman’s Club.   (Please forgive me if I left anyone off this list of volunteers of recent events & activities.)

Thank you,
Jon YeagerSecretary & Event Coordinator

Join the HHPS for the 2019 First Quarter Business Meeting to be followed with a Pot Luck Supper. We will discuss upcoming projects and plans, as well as scheduled speakers. All are welcome to attend!

Thursday, March 7, 2019

Brooksville City Hall, 201 Howell Ave, Brooksville, FL 34601

6:30pm – 8:00pm