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Lost And Found In Hernando

Tribune photo by MICHAEL SPOONEYBARGER

The four-story May-Stringer Hernando Heritage Museum is filled with 10,000 historical artifacts.

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By KAREN HAYMON LONG, The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 9, 2008

BROOKSVILLE - Florida's not all flat. We discovered hilly ridges in Hernando County's Brooksville on a recent outing.

A friend who lives there suggested we stop by Chinsegut Hill, one of the highest spots in Florida. He said it was a great place to see for miles, and he was right.

We followed the signs, parked and walked to an overlook, where off in the distance we saw forests and two Brahmans roaming in a pasture.

We stood gazing, marveling that this was really Florida.

The property, off U.S. 41 and now a University of South Florida conference and retreat center, includes a manor house, part of which dates to 1849.

Later, we learned that Chinsegut is the Inuit word for "spirit of lost things." According to a USF Web site, an early owner translated it as "a place where things of true value that have been lost may be found again."

That seems an appropriate slogan for such a peaceful place.

For details, go to http://auxsvc.usf.edu/chinsegut.html.

Antique Finds

Brooksville's downtown courthouse is one of those red-brick beauties where you can imagine Perry Mason resting his case. In the middle of Main Street, it's old and stately and shaded by giant, moss-draped oaks.

Down Main Street a ways, we found a wonderful antique shop called the Antique Sampler Mall. It covers two floors and is filled with fine antique furniture, glassware, jewelry, knickknacks and other collectibles.

A few blocks from there, at 503 S. Main St., we came across a shop called Great Stuff, whose tiny rooms were jam-packed with just about everything imaginable. It was like walking through an old museum crammed with boat oars, vintage earrings, '50s glassware, doll heads, Fiesta Dinnerware and even old, used Tupperware.

At the annex across the street, no clerk stood guard over a concrete angel with a square jaw, rusty outdoor furniture and other yard displays.

The coolest old thing we found was a giant oak tree growing in the middle of brick Early Street, which runs beside the annex. The mammoth tree had long ago buckled the bricks circling its base, making it look as if it is trying to escape.

Back toward the courthouse on the opposite side of Main, the upscale gift shop Home at Sea sells a fine array of candlesticks, fish-shaped coffee tables, wine glasses, Mariposa napkin boxes, dishes and other items, most adorned with fish or other coastal touches.

The owner said he does a brisk Internet business as well. Go to homeatsea.com.

For years, visitors have trekked en masse to Brooksville just to go to Rogers' Christmas House Village & Gift Shop, 103 S. Saxon Ave. Over the years, it has grown to include five houses, each filled with all sorts of Christmas items and gifts.

It's a trip just to walk from house to house looking at all the lights, ornaments, decorations and collectibles that people seem to love to buy all year.

For information, go to rogerschristmashouse.com or call 1-877-312-5046.

Popular Cafe

Where to eat lunch? Our friend suggested Mallie Kyla's Cafe, and locals agreed. It's next door to Roger's Christmas House at 510 E. Liberty St. and specializes in homemade soups, sandwiches, quiche, salads and desserts.

It's a popular place for locals, snowbirds and out-of-town visitors, and no wonder. The desserts alone would be worth a visit: Molten brownie pie, hummingbird cake, oatmeal cake, cream cheese brownies, coconut silk pie and triple-berry tarts are just a sampling of the tempting offerings.

For information, go to malliekylas.com or call (352) 796-7174.

The May-Stringer Hernando Heritage Museum, in a Queen Anne-style home at 601 Museum Court, is a good place to envision Brooksville's past. Built in 1856 and added on in 1903, the four-story house is decorated with Victorian furniture and filled with 10,000 historical artifacts.

On tours, which cost $5, visitors learn that the first owner sold part of his 160-acres property to a man who built a four-room house on it. The third owner - a doctor - added the other eight rooms and used one as his office.

The house was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1993.

Tours are from noon to 3 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. For information, go to hernandoheritagemuseum.com or call (352) 799-0129.

Reporter Karen Haymon Long can be reached at (813) 259-7618 or klong@tampatrib.com.

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