601 Museum Court

The History

This property was deeded to Richard Wiggins as part of 160 of land granted in association with the Armed Occupation Act of 1842. As Mr. Wiggins acquired 3 land grants, we have little information about where his property lines were and where his dwelling might have been. At the time this area was a part of Alachua County. In 1855, Wiggins sold his property to John May. May, a contractor, built a four room house, the bones of which can be seen from inside. The fireplaces of all four rooms share a single chimney and the staircase was on the exterior of the home. At the time of its construction, one was taxed for chimneys, staircases and closets. May donated 15 acres of his land to the county for the construction of a courthouse. Can you see the site from here? May lived in this residence for three years until his death in 1858. His wife Marena and their two daughters remained in the house, carrying on the plantation along with 56 enslaved people according to 1860s tax records. In 1866, Marena May married Frank Saxon. 

Little alteration was done to the May-Stringer House while the Saxons lived there. Saxon was a member of the Florida Legislature as a representative of (now) Hernando County. The couple’s first child did not survive long past birth and Marena Saxon died in 1869 while giving birth to the couple's second child, Jessie May Saxon, who did not live past age 3. Frank Saxon later married Tululu Hope, daughter of one of the earliest settlers in the county, William Hope. Saxon built another house, now called Saxon Manor, south of this location.

Then, Dr. Sheldon Stringer and his family purchased the house for $2,600. The Stringers expanded the house significantly, adding the entire western side of the house as well as the tower. Dr. Stringer used the first floor, southwest room as his doctor's office. Look to the left of the double door entrance on the corner and you will see the public entrance for the office. The additions were more than likely built to accommodate the doctor's growing practice. The last Stringer to live in the house was Margaret “Betty” Elizabeth Lykes Stringer Faircloth, wife to Dr. Sheldon, died 1907.

The house remained an active residence, owned and rented out by Dr. Earl Hensley. Unfortunately, the house had fallen into great disrepair and was slated for demolition. But in 1980, the Hernando Historical Museum Association leased the house with an option to buy from Dr. Hensley. In 1985, the Hernando Historical Museum officially purchased the house, commonly known as the May-Stringer House. Painstaking repairs and massive fundraising efforts have restored this structure which now operates as a museum to local life. In 1991, the May-Stringer House was added to the National Register of Historic Places. The house enjoys a reputation as one of the most haunted buildings in Florida.

CITATIONS/CREDIT: May-Stringer House National Register Nomination 1996