In 1980 The Hernando Historical Museum Association leased the house located at 601 Museum Court, Brooksville with an option to buy. In 1985 the purchase was completed, and the May-Stringer House became the first Museum in Brooksville. Volunteers completely restored the House with the help of grants to buy the materials.
In 1991 The Hernando Historical Museum Association purchased the 1885 Train Depot along with an acre and a half of land at 70 Russell Street from CSX Railroad for $12,600 and restored the building.
The Countryman Family One Room Schoolhouse is a new structure built in 2014 and completed January 2015 after fourteen years of fundraising by Museum volunteers, especially Gretchen Countryman. It is next to the Train depot at 66 Russell Street.
The Hernando Historical Museum Association is a 501 (c) 3 nonprofit organization. The Association is governed by a Board of Directors. The organization is completely run by volunteers that wish to celebrate and preserve the hard work and ingenuity of generations past, and to inspire current and future generations to value this industry which was essential to Florida’s history, culture, and economic growth.
The current Board of Directors are:
Mary Sheldon – President
Elizabeth Wilson – Vice President
Jesse Lisk – 2nd Vice President
Kathy Vidal – Treasurer
Bonnie LeTourneau – Secretary
Gretchen Countryman – Education Director
Terri McBride – Train Depot Manager
Autumn Resch – Curator
Emma Dowd – Volunteer Coordinator
Mary Waller – Membership
Tammy Oliveira
Virginia Rusk
Christmas Vreeland
The terms of office will be January 1, 2023 through December 31, 2025.
Virginia Jackson – a special Hernando Historical Museum Association person.
Virginia moved to Brooksville in 1970 and began her extensive volunteer work by becoming active in the Hernando Head Start pr
ogram and the Hernando Association of Retarded Citizens. She was a Hernando County Historian for over 30 years. She served as Director of the Hernando County Historical Society, and was actively involved with the Hernando Heritage Museum, Brooksville Historical Train Depot and the Hernando County Extension Program and Cannery until she retired in 1987.
She was a staff member of both the Pinellas County and Hernando County Public School Systems, and was cafeteria manager at First United Methodist Church, Brooksville.
Virginia has written more than 25 books on the history of Hernando County. She donated the proceeds from all her books back to the Heritage Museum of Brooksville.
In 1998, she received the Humanitarian of the Year award. She also received an award from T.O.R.C.H. In November of 1998 Virginia was appointed to the Board of Advisors of the Tampa Regional Preservation Citizen Support Organization by the Secretary of State, Sandra Morthan.
In 2001, Virginia spearheaded the restoration of the 1885 Russell Street Train Depot. She received grants from the division of Historic Preservation State of Florida. She has been collecting genealogical information and documents for the benefit of the public.
In 2004, Virginia was voted the Great Brooksvillian by the City of Brooksville. As a director the the 1885 Train Depot, Virginia was in charge of the volunteer program. Virginia stepped down from her position in 2013.
