Days gone, not forgotten

Lessons crowd streets at the Heritage Day Festival.

By Logan Neill, Times Staff Writer
Published February 15, 2008

The May-Stringer House is one of the beneficiaries of the Hernando Heritage Day Festival. Proceeds go toward it and the Russell Street train station.
	[Daniel Wallace | Times (2005)]

ADVERTISEMENT [Daniel Wallace | Times (2005)] Tom Closs, a member of the Talako Indian Dancers, performs at the 2005 festival.

BROOKSVILLE - You would expect longtime Hernando County historian Virginia Jackson to get a kick out of the annual Hernando Heritage Day Festival. After all, events of yesteryear are her life's calling.

But for Jackson, there's something particularly delightful about seeing youngsters from the video game age intently observing a master cane weaver ply his intricate art, or a craftsman braid strands of plant fiber into rope.

"They're so wide-eyed when they see those things," said Jackson this week as she prepared for Saturday's 28th annual festival. "I think a lot of them wish they had grown up during a time when hands were used to make something."

Although the annual Heritage Day Festival was established to commemorate the launch of Hernando County as a governmental entity, Jackson says the event has always been much more than a glorified birthday celebration. The daylong festival offers a cultural showcase of 19th century skills that were essential to early settlers.

Centered on the 1850s four-story antebellum home known as the May-Stringer House, the event gives visitors an opportunity to get familiar with the way Hernando residents lived before the advent of electricity, running water and telephones.

"People seem to marvel at how primitive it all seemed," Jackson said.

But Jackson notes that the post-Civil War era brought with it a number of its own modern conveniences. Although they pale in comparison to modern technology, items such as treadle sewing machines and horse-drawn farming equipment made life a lot easier than it had been just a few decades earlier.

"One of the wonderful things about the festival is that it puts all of that into perspective," Jackson said. "We have artifacts that go from the 1800s up to the mid 1930s. And people can see it all."

There will be an assortment of activities on the grounds for visitors. Artisans will be on hand throughout the day demonstrating crafts and pioneer skills. Entertainment will be provided by the Golden Band from Brooksville and the Talako Native American Dancers from Orlando. In addition, food vendors will be set up on the museum grounds, and there will be a silent auction to benefitthe museum.

Along with the annual Brooksville Raid Festival, the Heritage Day Festival has become a significant fundraiser for the privately owned museum. Proceeds go toward maintaining the May-Stringer House as well as for the continuing restoration of the Russell Streettrain station.

"These are vital links to our community's past," Jackson said. "The support we receive from the community helps to make sure that they will be here for future generations to enjoy."

Logan Neill can be reached at lneill@sptimes.com or 352 848-1435.

Check it out

Blast from the past

The Hernando Heritage Museum, 601 Museum Court, Brooksville, will host its 28th annual Heritage Day Festival from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. Admission is free. Tours of the May-Stringer House cost $5 for adults and $3 for children.

[Last modified February 14, 2008, 20:09:26]