Historic Sites in Hernando County Florida - Spring Lake Community Center
Visitors driving along Spring Lake Highway in Brooksville, Florida, are often curious about the old stone building that stands in the center of the small Spring Lake community.
Built during the Great Depression in 1938 as a Work Progress Administration (WPA) project, the building was intended to be a polling place and community center as well as a cafeteria for the nearby Spring Lake School which is no longer standing. The building materials came from all local sources: a nearby rock quarry, lumber from the Withlacoochee State Forest and the labor of the Spring Lake population.
No longer in use as a school cafeteria, the building still serves as a community center for the Spring Lake community today. Whether it's game nights, BBQs, community yard sales, club meetings, weddings, potluck dinners or other occasions, this is still a center of socializing for the community.
In 2009, the building was designated a National Historical Site (NRIS #09000843) but didn't receive its proper historical marker until today, when the community came together to dedicate the new marker at the site.
It was a happy and at times moving occasion! Many of the attendees had long family ties to the community of Spring Lake and its historic community center. The general contractor of the original building project was the grandfather of our current Hernando County Property Appraiser who was also in attendance.
People shared stories about how life was back then, who lived where, who the school teachers were and what their favorite school meals were when they were getting their school meals right there in this very same room. Once the memories were unlocked by the first few, more people shared theirs and for all but the "newbies" it was a trip down memory lane! Personally, I could have listened all day long to the stories!
After the official unveiling of the new historical marker and with a little live Bluegrass music playing, everyone enjoyed some cake and fellowship.
The Spring Lake community center is truly a treasure in Hernando County. I feel privileged to be able to attend the dedication festivities today and learn a little bit more about the history of Hernando County, its early residents as well as their descendants!
Historic Sites in Hernando County Florida - Spring Lake Community Center
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