Blair Hensley, local business owner, has a vision for the entrances to the City of Brooksville. When he first opened his restaurant on Jefferson Street, he noticed that he did not recognize many of his patrons even though he is Brooksville born and raised. He began asking his customers where they are from and found that many were just passing by, on their way to US19 or traveling to 41. With all this traffic coming through the city on our major roadways, he couldn’t pass up such a valuable branding opportunity for the city. Possibly Alfred McKethan had something like this in mind when, back in the 50’s he made sure “All roads led to Brooksville.”
It wasn’t until Hensley was dove hunting with a friend out off of Powell Road, adjacent to a feed silo that the idea became complete. “These 3 story objects, Agricultural Silos, that represent a slower pace of life, family and a small town… [they] could be the entrances to all of Brooksville,” Hensley wrote in a description of the “Brooksville Monumental Sign Project.” Hensley explains that when someone who is familiar with the silos of Brooksville, passes another silo elsewhere, they will be reminded of Brooksville.
When dairy farming was a large industry in Brooksville, there were many silos to hold the grain to feed the dairy cows. In a way, this is also a reminder of the way life once was in Brooksville.
Hensley is relying on private organizations for funding. He currently has secured 26 donors for $2000 apiece and hopes to reach 30 donors. He is soon to close on a property located at 1510 E Jefferson St which has been Jim’s Tires for 15 years. After he purchases this property, he plans to demolish the buildings, but preserve the majestic oak as well as landscape and of course erect the silo. The first location will be the costliest since Hensley is purchasing it. After the project is completed at this location, he will be donating it to the City of Brooksville “so it will remain forever as one of the entrances to the City of Brooksville.”
The Hunnicutt family has 4 silos they will be donating to the project. The silos came from chicken farms which were “integral parts of the south hernando county agricultural community,” explains Hensley. He does not foresee the future silo projects being as involved as the first, since he plans to arrange a minimal lease to place the signs on the corner of the properties. After completion of the entrances, they will also be donated and the leases assigned to the City of Brooksville.
City Council members approved the location of the first welcome monument at their July 20th meeting. Subsequent monument locations will be presented to the council for approval.
Photo Credit: State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory, https://floridamemory.com/items/show/149455