BROOKSVILLE- The Hernando county courthouse has quite a history. Jimmy Carter spoke from the steps of the courthouse while campaigning in 1975. William Jennings Bryan a former presidential candidate and cousin of William Sherman Jennings, the Florida Governor from Brooksville, also spoke from the steps while campaigning in the 1900s.
The current courthouse and government center was built in 3 stages. The structure nearest Main Street courthouse was built in 1913 by J.F. Jenkins and Company for approximately $42,000. In the 1970s, the county commission discussed demolishing that building and building a new courthouse. After a public outcry the matter was put to referendum. The courthouse was preserved. A three story annex was built behind the courthouse to provide additional space and was finished in 1974. 
In the 1980s, there were requests for additional space for the courts and government offices. A new building behind the annex, which is known as the government center, was finished in 1988. It was built on the site of the John Law Ayers Building which was demolished. The John Law Ayers Building had formerly been a ford dealership. The dealership building had been reused as administrative offices and for commission meetings.
The history of the courthouse is closely intertwined with Brooksville and Hernando County. The courthouse was partially responsible for the creation of Brooksville. When Hernando County was established in 1843 it was much larger than it is now. It was comprised of Pasco, Hernando, and Citrus. The original county seat was at Bayport. Bayport is on the coast and was a two day trip for people who lived in the eastern part of the county.
Eventually the state government acquiesced to the requests of the residents on the east part of the county. The state government mandated a new location for the County Seat to be chosen that was no more than 5 miles from the center of the county. A new town Brooksville was created on October 15, 1856 to be the county seat. Its location combined the existing towns of Pierceville and Melendez.
Land was provided for the first courthouse by John L. May and Joseph Hale. They provided land on a Hilltop northwest of Pierceville. On December 27, 1856 the governor signed an order moving the courthouse to Brooksville. In 1858, the first courthouse was finished. It was built of wood.
In Sept. 29, 1877 the original courthouse burned down. According to the Oct. 6, 1877 edition of the Sunland Tribune it was not an accident "From the rapidity with which the flames spread there is little doubt but that the incendiary made free use of kerosene oil. The floors had just been carpeted with a layer of sawdust in preparation of the expected term of court, and it is surmised that this offered a good medium next the walls and partitions for saturation with the inflammable fluid."
In 1878 or 1879 a new wooden courthouse was finished with wood from Theodore S. Coogler’s mill. Although most of the records were destroyed one record of a County Commission meeting was found. It was a request for proposals to build a new Courthouse building. The specifications were "Two story, 50’ x 38’ with 28 good solid live oak blocks, 2 ½ feet long, Four sills, 38’, each to be 8x10”, and All to be built out of the best lumber and covered with good pine shingles."
According to the Sunland Tribune on May 10, 1879 there was another attempt made to destroy the records. "Wednesday the building, in which county records have been kept since the burning of the Court House in 1877, was discovered on fire. Messrs. Keathley & Hancock arrived in time to rush in and save the Records, papers, &c., and with the assistance of other parties coming on the ground partly saved the building. This was the work of incendiaries—as from all appearances they forced open a door in back part of the house and built the fire on the top of Sheriff’s desk—and their object was the same as caused the burning of the court house, to destroy the records, registration list &c., and thereby prevent the special term of court being held there in June."
These fires destroyed many of the old property records. In fact, Gulf Coast Title in Brooksville managed to get the agriculture department's records from this time and they have records that the county does not.
The probable reason for the 1877 arson of the courthouse and the following arson in 1879 was to stop a grand jury investigation into the murders of Arthur St. Clair a Republican candidate for the Florida House of Representatives and Henry Lloyd a man who had come to his aid. Several notable public figures were murdered as they looked into these events including Sheriff David L. Hedick and County Judge William Center. This story will be covered in more detail in a future article.
The Hernando County courthouse has been the center of the county for well over a hundred years. A local resident wrote a poem describing the courthouse as "the Brooksville crown" and if it was removed the city would be a "a headless torso" when the County was thinking of razing it in the 1970s. Over the years the courthouse has been the backdrop to a tremendous amount of history.
