Secretary Detzner Designates Brooksville Main Street as Florida Main Street Program of the Month
Secretary of State Ken Detzner today announced that Brooksville Main Street has been designated the Florida Main Street Community of the Month for February 2018. Communities are selected based on their developmental achievements and participation in the Florida Main Street Program.
“In the 18 months since Brooksville was designated, it has consistently demonstrated an exemplary commitment to downtown revitalization,” said Secretary Detzner. “Brooksville Main Street has successfully made the preservation of its downtown an outstanding component of Florida’s statewide preservation efforts.”
Native Americans inhabited the Brooksville area for thousands of years before Europeans settled there. In the 19th century, settlers merged two small colonies into what today is the City of Brooksville and the county seat of Hernando County.
Today, the centerpiece of the downtown is the historic 1913 Hernando County Courthouse, situated on the crest of a hill under a canopy of magnificent oak trees. The Beaux-Arts style building was designed by William Edwards Augusta who also designed many of the University of Florida’s original buildings. The courthouse is now part of a larger complex of buildings on the same block, known as the Hernando County Government Center. A significant part of the early history of this area was plantations with fields of sugarcane and cotton. The most notable plantation today is the recently restored Chinsegut Hill Manor House, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Currently owned by the State of Florida, Chinsegut Hill Manor House is managed by the Friends of Chinsegut Hill.
As a recent participant in the Florida Main Street Program, Brooksville Main Street has made great strides in capitalizing on the large downtown employment base and re-establishing downtown as the economic hub. In addition, the organization is host to several community events throughout the year, including First Fridays, the Shootout Golf Tournament, the Cycling Classic and Fitness Festival, and Founder’s Week.
“When I first looked at Brooksville, I knew I had found a home,” said Ryan Malloy, Brooksville Main Street Executive Director. “I imagine this feeling is shared by many who have visited Brooksville, which exudes the true architectural spirit of what a historic hometown feels like.”
For more information about Brooksville Main Street visit BrooksvilleMainStreet.org or Facebook.com/BrooksvilleMainStreet. For more information about the Florida Main Street program visit FloridaMainStreet.com or Facebook.com/FloridaMainStreet.
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About Florida Main Street
Florida Main Street is a program administered by the Division of Historical Resources under the Florida Department of State, which currently oversees 51 communities throughout the state. By implementing the National Main Street Center’s Four-Point Approach®, Florida Main Street encourages economic development within the context of historic preservation through the revitalization of Florida’s downtowns – the community’s heart and soul.
2017 Membership Renewal
Current Members, past members, and prospective members,We are now conducting our Membership Drive for 2017. We have had a great year of activity with the Historic Hernando Preservation Society. From monthly speakers, to field trips, and working on several projects, it has been a productive year. You may visit our website to see all the events and projects from 2016. From Heritage Day, to field trips, to special historical speakers, and preservation of of our cultural/historical resources, we aim to continue these goals in 2017. Membership categories are as follows:Student: $5Individual: $10Family: $25Associate Organization: $35Corporate: $50Lifetime Membership: $175We continue to meet the first Thursday of each month, except July, at Brooksville City Hall @ 6:30 pm. Brooksville recently celebrated its 160th anniversary at Founders Day Events. Planning is currently underway for Hernando County’s Heritage Day Event for early 2017. Our organization is proud to partner with the Hernando Historical Museum Association, other local organizations, Hernando County, and the City of Brooksville as we plan projects and events each year. One exciting development by Hernando County is a project to open the 1913 Old Hernando County Courthouse in the future, to promote the cultural and historical resources of our community. Another development we see for 2017 by the City of Brooksville is the Brooksville Main Street program, which will bring the community together to revitalize the historic downtown area. We encourage you to become a part of these exciting developments in 2017, as we all volunteer together and build a wonderful community, remembering the PAST, and looking to the FUTURE.HOW TO APPLY FOR MEMBERSHIP1)Download the application here, fill out and mail with your check.2)Bring the application and fee in person to one of our meetings.3) Apply online via PayPal right here.We look forward to your application!Sincerely,Jon YeagerSecretaryFrasier Mountain
MOUNTAIN, Frasier W., age 93, died Tuesday October 4, 2016 at HPH Hospice Care Center. He was born in Dunnellon, FL and was a lifelong Brooksville resident. He was co-owner of Frasier Mountain Appliances and a U.S. Air Force veteran of WWII. He is survived by daughter: Diane Dannemiller of Brooksville, FL; 1 granddaughter: Ashley Dannemiller. A gathering for friends will be from 5-7:00pm, Thursday, October 13, 2016 at the Saxon Manor, 103 South Saxon Avenue, Brooksville, Florida 34601.
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(352) 796-6699
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Spring Lake
Courthouse
Chinsegut
Bubble Gum
Town of Centralia Historic Marker Dedication Ceremony
The Historic Hernando Preservation Society will dedicate a State Historical Marker near Centralia Road and Commercial Way in Hernando County on Saturday, September 23rd @ 10 AM. Centralia was a large logging and mill town which existed in Hernando County over one hundred years ago. Although now a ghost town, this short lived town of Centralia had an impact on Hernando County’s history to this day. The dedication ceremony will be held on Saturday, September 23 @ 10AM. Light refreshments will be served. The ceremony will be held approximately 6 miles north of Weeki Wachee, just south of Centralia Road on Commercial Way. This event is sponsored by the Historic Hernando Preservation Society.
WHAT: Dedication ceremony of State Historical Marker for the TOWN OF CENTRALIA
WHEN: Saturday, September 23, 2017 @ 10AM
WHERE: Centralia Road and Commercial Way, approximately 6 miles north of Weeki Wachee.
Member Highlight: Deborah Charlow
By Mary Moses
Deborah Charlow, Director When one meets Deborah, one becomes aware that Deborah, “Debbie”, is a woman who is beautiful, confident and educated. She was born in Bayonne New Jersey, but raised in Point Pleasant on the Jersey Shore. She grew up as a child who loved the arts, and by age eleven already began forming her foundation in that area. As a small child, Debbie loved to dress up, and was already displaying her artistic abilities. Later, she acquired a degree in Speech and Drama with a focus on design.
Debbie has two sons and one daughter. She began sewing for them because she found what was available in stores was not always what she wanted for her children. She stated she found that design interested and excited her imagination. It was like putting together pieces of a puzzle. Design, fabric, even common items found in everyday life began to fuel and ignite her creativity.
Debbie first came to Historic Hernando Preservation Society with a desire to see the potential unlocked for the historic buildings in our area. She wants to raise an awareness of their design and importance, and make Hernando County a place people want to visit. Her natural love and respect of history make Debbie the steadfast researcher that she is. She recognizes the importance of preserving our rich history for future generations.
The Society for Creative Anachronism has played an important role in Debbie’s life. Here she met people dedicated to history, people who were willing to do the arduous research required to bring the results of their research to a higher level. SCA’s Arts and Science competitions requires research likened to that of a doctrinal level. Debbie learned from the research, and honed her skills to create beautiful pieces.
Debbie is extremely humble concerning her sewn creations and is quick to point out that they “are not perfect.” Little does she realize that the results of her labor are beautiful and captivating. When asked to describe some of her favorite creations, she mentioned a 1635 gown created in black and yellow. It boasts a fitted waist and bodice and is based on a VanDyke painting. Another of her favorites is a navy blue Civil War outfit. It has a pagoda sleeved jacket with a Garabaldi blouse. She even created a parasol to match.
Debbie takes a lot of pride in being period correct, and although today’s fabrics are not the same as the wool, silk, linen and cotton of yesteryear, she works diligently to find something as close to original as possible. Looking at the world through Debbie’s eyes requires something of a knack. She can look at an ordinary beach hat and unleash it’s potential as a period bonnet.
She draws much of her imagination from her extensive collection of books ranging from the Roman period through the 1920’s. Not only does Debbie enjoy creating, she also loves to teach. She dreams of inspiring creativity in others, and touching them in a way that brings dimension to the work of the person she is teaching. Debbie has been a substitute teacher for nearly 27 years and she has learned the patience and love of teaching. Substituting afforded her the flexibility to raise her family, and pursue other interests.
Debbie and her husband live in a country setting. Although it is far from the convenience of fabric and craft stores, it offers her the opportunity to enjoy her garden. She says that in her garden, she is able to enjoy some “happy accidents”, which cause her to take pause and enjoy the beauty of it all. I would imagine it is here where she dreams of the dress she is creating to wear to her nieces upcoming wedding. Her cat, Mr. Peanut, a black and white tuxedo clad gentleman, can sometimes be found lounging lazily in her lap. Creativity and love of beauty come together to spin the dreams of Debbie’s future creations.
Portrayal of an Irish Soldier from the 1830’s
Last Thursday evening, Steve Rinck entered City Hall dressed in the uniform of an infantry soldier of the 1830’s. He carried a trunk holding personal items a soldier of that era would value. Then he spoke in an Irish accent that drew people into the experiences of his well crafted character, Paddington McCormick, an Irish immigrant who joined the US Infantry in 1835.
His story told of his entry into New York Harbor, where Irishmen of his stature were often not valued. He spoke of his adventures visiting the P.T. Barnum Circus. Some of the sights he saw included a “Feejee Mermaid,” as well as a “161 year old woman” claiming to be George Washington’s nursemaid.
His story wound around to include how he enlisted into the U.S. Infantry, and he expounded with a detailed description of his uniform and weapons. He successfully explained the cartridge box, the forage cap, and why his shoes were called “Jeffersons.”
Mr. Rinck completed the history by describing how Paddy’s company traveled through the wilderness of central Florida Territory to force the Seminoles out to Oklahoma. His presentation was informative, entertaining, and well-presented. His attention to
detail in an interesting fashion held each guest of Historic Hernando Preservation Society spellbound.HHPS extends a heartfelt “thank you” to Mr. Rinck for composing such an informative program.
