Brooksville, Florida

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 12.9 km² (5.0 sq mi). 4.9 square miles (12.8 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km²) of it (0.60%) is water.

The geographic center of Florida is located twelve miles northwest of Brooksville.^[6]

Brooksville was once a major citrus production area and was known as the "Home of the Tangerine".

[edit] Demographics

Hernando County Courthouse

As of the census^[2] of 2000, there were 7,264 people, 3,220 households, and 1,832 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,469.5 people per square mile (567.7/km²). There were 3,920 housing units at an average density of 793.0/sq mi (306.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 74.93% White, 21.31% African American, 0.36% Native American, 1.23% Asian, 1.09% from other races, and 1.09% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.07% of the population.

There were 3,220 households out of which 23.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.9% were married couples living together, 14.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.1% were non-families. 38.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 21.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.14 and the average family size was 2.82.

In the city the population was spread out with 22.1% under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 21.7% from 25 to 44, 18.7% from 45 to 64, and 29.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females there were 80.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 76.4 males.

[edit] Economy

[edit] Personal income

The median income for a household in the city was $25,489, and the median income for a family was $31,060. Males had a median income of $29,837 versus $21,804 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,265. About 16.8% of families and 21.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 27.9% of those under age 18 and 11.5% of those age 65 or over.

[edit] Industry

[edit] Tourism

The city has historic homes along cobble stone covered streets.

1,000,000 tourists annually^{[citation needed]} visit Rogers' Christmas House and Village^[7] has been a tourist attraction in Brooksville since 1978. It has five southern homes with fireplaces moved and arranged to form a traditional Christmas village setting. Each house is filled with classic Christmas collectibles from Christopher Radko, Swarovski Crystal, Goebel, Fontanini, Anri, Department 56 and others, and ornaments from Egyptian Museum Glass, Raz, Pacific Rim, Kringles, Snowbabies, North Star and others.

There is also a Native American Outpost in a log cabin^[8]

The Brooksville Business Alliance has sponsored the annual Brooksville Founders Week Celebration since 2006.^[9] There is a monthly live music performance, antique car show, and other events.

[edit] History

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Please help improve this article by adding reliable references. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (April 2008)

May Stringer House

William Sherman Jennings House

Willis Russell House

Brooksville, originally known as Melendez, was first settled about 1845. A map printed in 1855 shows the town of Melendez as being the capital of Benton County, the former name of Hernando County. It remained the county seat of Hernando County for more than one hundred years.

Fort DeSoto, a military fort established about 1840 to give protection to settlers from Native Americans, was located at the northeastern edge of present day Brooksville on Croom Road about one-half mile east of U.S. Highway 41. Fort DeSoto was also a trading post and a regular stop on the Concord Stage Coach Line which ran from Palatka to Tampa.

The fort was built on top of a heavy bed of limestone, a fact which they were unaware of at the time, and this made it exceedingly difficult to obtain water, thus causing this location to be abandoned as a community site. As a result, in the early 1840s the population shifted about three miles to the south where a settlement first formed by the Hope and Saxon families became known as Pierceville. About this time, another community about two miles northwest of Pierceville, know named Melendez, was formed.

On Sept. 12, 1842, Seminole Indians attacked the McDaniel party near the community of Chocachatti, south of Brooksville, killing Charlotte (Mrs. Richard) Crum.

Brooksville was established in 1856, and grew from a consolidation of Pierceville and Melendez. Brooksville was incorporated on October 13, 1880.

The City of Brooksville was settled by four pioneer families: the Howell family which settled the northern part of town; the Jon L. Mays family which settled the eastern part of town; the Hale family on the west; and the Parsons family on the south.

Brooksville is a residential-commercial community which has experienced growth. There are several modern medical facilities, including Brooksville Regional Hospital Inc., Oak Hill Community Hospital and Spring Hill Regional Hospital serving the area, a campus of Pasco-Hernando Community College located at the edge of the city, and a business section with eleven shopping centers and a public airport, Hernando County Airport, located six miles south of the city. There are three city parks with walking trails, sports, and picnicking facilities, including a nine-hole golf course and a library. The area also offers abundant hunting, fishing, biking and (in Nobleton just 12 miles NE of Brooksville[1]) canoeing, kayaking and camping opportunities.

[edit] Name

Brooksville was named in honor of Representative Preston Brooks of South Carolina because of the role he played in a drama which took place in the Chamber of the U.S. Senate in 1856^[10]. In 1856, Brooks beat Senator Charles Sumner with his cane in the Senate chamber because of a speech Sumner had made critical of slavery and its southern supporters.

[edit] Media

The Brooksville Belle, published twice a month.

[edit] Notable residents

This article does not cite any references or sources. (July 2007)
Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed.

Bronson Arroyo - childhood home of Cincinnati Reds pitcher Arroyo pitched for Hernando High School and graduated in 1995.
Jerome Brown (1965-1992) - former Philadelphia Eagles player.
Mike Hampton - birthplace of Atlanta Braves pitcher.
William Sherman Jennings moved to Florida in 1885 and began a law practice in Brooksville, becoming the judge of Hernando County in 1888. In 1893, Jennings accepted an election to the state legislature and became speaker of the house in 1895. During the next few years, he served as a colonel in the Florida militia, president of the Brooksville town council and chairman of the Democratic committee. In 1900, Jennings was elected Governor of Florida for the term from 1901 to 1905. After his term in office, Jennings practiced law in Brooksville and then Jacksonville. He died on February 28, 1920.
George Lowe, well-known for his role as Space Ghost in Space Ghost Coast to Coast on Adult Swim, grew up in Brooksville. In the early-1970s, he began learning radio skills at WWJB AM 1450, a local radio station in the area.
Bill McCollum - birthplace and childhood home of former U.S. Congressman and current Florida Attorney General
Stephen M. Sparkman, a prominent member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Florida, was born on a farm in Hernando County just south of Brooksville on July 29, 1849. Sparkman was elected as a Democrat to the 54th United States Congress and to the ten succeeding Congresses (March 4, 1895-March 3, 1917).

[edit] Cultural

Canadian director Bob Clark's 1974 horror film Deathdream (aka Dead of Night; The Night Andy Came Home) was filmed entirely in Brooksville.

[edit] References

^ Brooksville city, Florida - DP-1. Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000. 2000 US Census. Retrieved on 2007-01-22.
^ ^a ^b American FactFinder. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
^ US Board on Geographic Names. United States Geological Survey (2007-10-25). Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
^ Find a County. National Association of Counties. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
^ US Gazetteer files: 2000 and 1990. United States Census Bureau (2005-05-03). Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
^ OCLS Fast Facts retrieved April 7, 2008
^ Rogers' Christmas House and Village
^ Peace Tree Trading
^ (Brooksville Business Alliance - founders week slide show)
^ Brooksville

[edit] External links

Brooksville, Florida is at coordinates 28°33′13″N 82°23′19″W / 28.553529, -82.388668 (Brooksville, Florida)Coordinates: 28°33′13″N 82°23′19″W / 28.553529, -82.388668 (Brooksville, Florida)

v • d • e Municipalities and communities of Hernando County, Florida

County seat: Brooksville

Cities	Brooksville \| Weeki Wachee

CDPs	Bayport \| Brookridge \| Hernando Beach \| High Point \| Hill 'n Dale \| Istachatta \| Lake Lindsey \| Masaryktown \| Nobleton \| North Brooksville \| North Weeki Wachee \| Pine Island \| Ridge Manor \| South Brooksville \| Spring Hill \| Spring Lake \| Timber Pines \| Weeki Wachee Gardens

Unincorporated community	Aripeka