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  • Billy the Kid to visit the 1885 Train Depot Museum in Brooksville

    Don’t miss this unique opportunity to hear the story of William H. Cox II, “BILLY THE KID.”  He recounts his adventure of 30 years ago when he experienced a life-changing event that found him literally living in the footsteps of the legendary figure of the wild wild West, William H. Bonney,  known infamously as “Billy the Kid.” Billy has written an autobiography about his life and adventures entitled: “The Adventures & Times of William H. Cox II, Billy the Kid.”

    Thirty years ago, Billy took a road trip to Roswell, New Mexico to learn about the land and history of that place after seeing the movie “Young Guns.”   Little did he know he was headed for an experience that would change his personal history and had everybody in the SouthWest saying that New Mexico’s notorious son was back.

    As Billy recounts,  he was twenty two years old and full of energy.  Arriving in Roswell, New Mexico, he stepped off the bus, not knowing where to go.  He just went with the direction of the wind. It led him to the Roswell Museum. As he walked into the museum, the historian immediately approached him and said he looked just like “Billy the Kid.”  “What is your name?” asked the historian. “Billy,” he replied. The museum historian’s mouth dropped! “We need to get you to Lincoln,” he said, which was about sixty miles from Roswell.

    So began his adventure as “Billy the Kid” in Lincoln, New Mexico.  Billy the Kid had returned in the person of William H. Cox II, who bore an uncanny likeness to the Kid.  Let the Kid tell you the rest of the story in person where he will make his book available and answer questions.  You will learn not just about Billy the Kid, you will learn that life is full of adventures and you don’t have to be ordinary, you can be original!

    EVENT TIME:     SATURDAY, JULY 28 @ 7 P.M.

    EVENT LOCATION:     1885 TRAIN DEPOT MUSEUM
    70 Russell Street
    Brooksville, FL 34601

    EVENT COST:    $10      RSVP 352-799-4766
    (20 seats available)

  • Dedication for the Historical Marker of Pilaklikaha

    Sumter County Historical Society & Dade Battlefield Society

    INVITE YOU TO ATTEND THE

    Dedication & Reception

    for the

    Historical Marker

    of

    PILAKLIKAHA

    “Abraham’s Old Town”

    APRIL 10, 2018

    DEDICATION CEREMONY 3:00 p.m.

    RECEPTION 3:30-5:00 pm

    Intersection of SR 471 and CR 567 (aka: Fortune Teller Road; East of 471; Between Webster & Sumterville.

    Pilaklikaha was also known as “Abraham’s Old Town,” named after Abraham, who came to the area after escaping slavery in Pensacola around 1826. Abraham served as a skilled interpreter and the voice of the Seminoles during treaty negotiations with the United States government. He rose to prominence as the counselor for Chief Micanopy, even accompanying him on a diplomatic trip to Washington, D.C. Abraham was later released from service in appreciation for his work. Assuming a connection to the Dade Massacre in 1835, United States Army soldiers, under the command of Brigadier General Abraham Eustis, burned Pilaklikaha to the ground on March 30, 1836, during the second escalation of the Seminole War. All the residents of Abraham’s town escaped weeks before its destruction. During the conflict, many native Seminoles and some Black Seminoles, including Abraham, were forcibly relocated to Indian Territory, in present-day Oklahoma, as part of the “Trail of Tears.” Abraham died in Indian Territory sometime after 1870.

    For More Information:
    karencloud@yahoo.com

  • 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.

    # # #

    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:  $5
    Individual: $10
    Family:  $25
    Associate Organization: $35
    Corporate: $50
    Lifetime Membership: $175
    We 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 MEMBERSHIP
    1)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 Yeager
    Secretary

  • Frasier 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.

    ARRANGEMENTS BY

    MERRITT FUNERAL HOME

    BROOKSVILLE, FLORIDA

    (352) 796-6699

    “Family Owned and Operated”

    www.merrittfuneral.com