7 North Orange Avenue

The History

This home was constructed in 1882 by John Hale, who was married to Dorothy Ederington. The symmetrical house design has front gable dormers, transoms, and sidelights over the first and second-floor doors and operable shutters. The two-story residence features a full-width front porch and gingerbread railing balusters.  Construction supplies were very difficult to obtain locally, so the bricks used to build the house were manufactured in Massachusetts and then transported by train, boat, and wagon to Brooksville. During this process, Hale became deeply interested in transportation. He helped to found the Brooksville Railroad Association and served on the federal board overseeing the development of Route 19 from Erie, PA to St. Petersburg, Florida.  

A farmer, Hale introduced tangerines to Brooksville. The tangerine industry would grow so much that Brooksville would become known as the “Home of the Tangerine.” He also worked with J.J. Bell and W.A. Fulton to establish the Brooksville Citrus Growers Association.

Hale’s grandson, Alfred McKethan, also lived in this home.  

McKethan followed in his grandfather’s transportation footsteps and served as Chairman of the State Road Board. In that role, he oversaw the development of the turnpike and routed state roads, intentionally winding them through the city so that “all roads lead to Brooksville.”  In fact, two state highways (41 and 98) flank the home itself.

Between his work with the State and his job at Hernando State Bank, Alfred McKethan was a powerful figure who hosted many important guests, often in this home. Robert Buckner, McKethan’s grandson, lived in the house while finishing his degree at what is now Saint Leo University. He remembers, “For generations, the noontime lunch/dinner was kind of the big event of the day." Doyle Conner Sr., Florida's longtime commissioner of agriculture, sometimes joined McKethan for the famous fried chicken served by his cook, Minnie Stephens. So did citrus magnate Ben Hill Griffin Jr. And former Gov. Lawton Chiles once ate so much that he left the table to take a nap in one of the upstairs bedrooms.1 

CITATIONS/CREDIT: Our Story by Alfred McKethan; Dan DeWitt (Tampa Bay Times), “Historic Walking Tour of Brooksville” by Ken Badgely, Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_A._McKethan , https://www.tampabay.com/news/growth/a-brooksville-landmark-slides-into-neglect/2139226/