The Greatest Photos - Year by Year - Part 2 - (1901 - 1917)

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We continue our series entitled Our Greatest Photos - Year by Year, a special series that features in chronological order the best photos from our collection for that year. This issue is Part 2, covering the years from 1901 - 1917.

Stories by Robert Martinez

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1901

Brooksville Skyline

Brooksville skyline (1901) - a view from west of downtown. Behind the horse is the original 1878 courthouse (facing). To the far right is the new Jennings Building and other stores. This rare photo shows how Brooksville life seemed so serene back then.

1902

"Number Please!"

A young Brooksville phone operator connects a local citizen (1902). What the computer was in the 1980s, the telephone was in 1902. Brooksville was first introduced to the telephone in 1900 through John Burwell. Earliest phones belonged to John Burwell, William McKethan, Dr. Coogler and the Davant Law Firm. Within ten years, it changed how we did business forever.

1903

W. P. Duval and Francis H. Duval

Bicyling was a big fad at the turn of the century. In 1903, W. P. Duval and Francis H. Duval rode to Endsley, Alabama from Brooksville, Florida. A grueling trip over primitive roads and paths, the trip took several weeks.

1904

"The man with the golden green thumb."

Fielder Harris in 1904 was a master gardener and landscaper at Chinsegut Hill dating as far back as the 1880s. He and Mr. Raymond Robins, property owner, would form a bond in creating new beautiful landscaping ideas.

1905

Hernando State Bank Construction

The construction of the new Hernando State Bank in 1905, the first bank in Brooksville since 1891. Owned and operated by W.M. McKethan, it ushered in a new wave of prosperity for the city and county. Now known as Truist, it is at the same location on Jefferson Street.

1906

Varnada Hotel

The brand new Varnada Hotel as it appeared when it opened in 1906. One of Florida's most elegant hotels, it had a restaurant, tobacco shop, newsstand and a telephone. Located on Jefferson Street between Main and North Brooksville Avenue, it would burn down in 1918.

1907

Main Street

Main Street (1907) looking south from Jefferson Street. The Jennings Building is on the left. The stores to the right are facing the courthouse. The store on the far right is Butterwick's Department Store that ordered these colorized post cards of the city from a business in Germany.

1908

New York Racket Store

The brand new New York Racket Store on North Main (1908) was the home of 1,000 bargains. Four years later in 1912, this would become Rogers' Department Store for several decades.

Brooksville ad for the New York Racket Store

1909

Downtown Brooksville (1909)

The new wave in downtown Brooksville (1909). The automobile began to change the way we lived forever. On Saturday mornings, prosperous local businessmen would converge in front of Chelf's Drug Store and parade their cars along Main Street. The first car in the city was in 1908.

1910

Chelf's Drug Store

Chelf's Drug Store inside the Jennings Building (1910) was the nicest in town. Owned by R.N. Chelf, one of Brooksville's early successful businessmen. It seems it also featured a soda shoppe and ice cream parlor as well.

1911

North on Main Street

One of the best street scenes from the early 20th century is this one of Main Street (1911), looking north from Jefferson Street. The entire block on the left would burn down in 1914. The building down the street is Brooksville Hardware and others, where City Hall is today. To the right is Hernando State Bank, New York Racket Store and Thompson's Drugs.

1912

Centralia (1912)

This remarkable photo was taken in 1912 at Centralia, a logging community in northwest Hernando County that at one time had a population greater than Brooksville. Employing hundreds, it also had stores, a railroad station and even a movie theatre. It thrived from 1908 until 1917. By 1922 it was a ghost town. The photo shows how large timber was with this giant cypress having 5,476 board feet. Notice the man's size on the left in relation to the log.

1913

Cappleman's Restaurant

Cappleman's Restaurant (1913) on the corner of Brooksville Avenue and Broad Street is the earliest known photo of a Brooksville restaurant. Originally built as a private residence in 1905, it became a restaurant in 1910.

1914

Brooksville Post Office

The new Brooksville Post Office on South Main Street in 1914 had a unique architectural style. The street lamp in the center were quite common during those times. The building would serve as Brooksville's post office through the 1920s. To the far right is the Bobolink Theatre which moved from where the Hogan Law Firm is today to make room for a Ford dealer.

1915

Main Street (1915)

Looking north on Main Street from Broad on an early Sunday morning. It's an eerie photo. You can almost feel the loneliness.

1916

Hernando Leopards

The first high school football team in the county history was the 1916 Hernando Leopards, seen here in front of the old Hernando High. The first sports team was the 1914 track team. Hernando High would not have another football team until 1923 due to a lack of participation.

1917

The City on the Hill

The City of the Hill (1917). This amazing photo was just discovered in 2019. It was taken from East Jefferson Street across from were the old Turner Funeral Home was. At the top of the hill to the right is the Varnada Hotel. The courthouse is at the top center, and to the left are businesses and homes along Broad Streets and Brooksville Avenue.