Brooksville

Brooksville
Seal
Location in Hernando County and the state of Florida
Coordinates: 28°33′13″N 82°23′19″W / 28.55361, -82.38861
Country	United States
State	Florida
County	Hernando
Area
- Total	5.0 sq mi (12.9 km²)
- Land	4.9 sq mi (12.8 km²)
- Water	0.04 sq mi (0.1 km²)  0.60%
Elevation	203 ft (62 m)
Population (2000)[1]1
- Total	7,264
- Density	1,469.5/sq mi (567.4/km²)
Time zone	Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
- Summer (DST)	EDT (UTC-4)
Area code(s)	352
FIPS code	12-08800GR2
GNIS feature ID	0279446GR3

History

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 1840's 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.

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, as it is known today, 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 continuous 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, and biking opportunities.