The county seat of Hernando County, Brooksville is among the oldest settlements in West Central Florida, tracing its roots to the arrival of William Hope in 1835. When Hope arrived to farm the land and raise cattle, Seminole Indians called the area home. With the arrival of more white settlers in the 1840s, the fledgling frontier community was named "Melendez," in honor of Pedro Menendez de Aviles, the founder of St. Augustine and first governor of Florida. During the 1850s, the settlement's name changed, first to "Pierceville," in honor of President Franklin A. Pierce, then to "Brooksville" to celebrate South Carolina Congressman Preston Brooks.

Brooks achieved heroic status in the South when he responded to a verbal attack on slavery from Massachusetts Senator Charles Sumner by beating the man violently with his cane on the floor of the U.S. House. During the Civil War, a skirmish occurred between Brooksville and coastal town of Bayport. Each year re-enactors portray what has come to be known as the Brooksville Raid. Following the Civil War, the community was incorporated as a town, but real change came in 1885 when Henry B. Plant's Railroad arrived, spurring the growth of the citrus industry.

The Great Depression marked hard times for town residents, but World War II brought relief when the local airport was converted into an Army air base. In the post-war years, the citrus industry, not military spending, fueled the local economy, and the town assumed a new moniker--"Home of the Tangerine."

Once a popular tourist stopover for tin-can tourists--blue-collar adventurers who came to Florida in their vintage automobiles and sustained themselves on canned food--Brooksville beckons the modern traveler. It is home to the Hernando Heritage Museum, the South Brooksville Avenue historic District, and several well-preserved historic sites, including the former residence of William Sherman Jennings, who served as Governor of Florida at the turn of the twentieth century. A few miles outside town is Chinsegut Hill, a nineteenth century plantation which is on the National Register of Historic Places. The former plantation is owned and operated by the University of South Florida as a conference and retreat center.

One of the oldest communities in the Florida interior, Brooksville offers residents and visitors glimpses into Florida's rich pioneer past and agricultural traditions.

This podcast made possible through a grant from the Florida Humanities Council. Script written by Kyle Burke. Narrated by John Richardson.