Brooksville in Hernando County, Florida — The American South (South Atlantic)

St. Anthony the Abbot Church

Established 1892

— Oldest Catholic Parish in Hernando County —

St. Anthony the Abbot Church Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Fr. Len Plazewski, June 30, 2011

1. St. Anthony the Abbot Church Marker

Inscription. Though mass was first celebrated for Brooksville Catholics at the Hope residence on Easter Sunday 1874 by Bishop Augustin Verot, a formal Catholic mission was not established until 1892. At that time Fr. Roman Kirchner, the Benedictine Pastor of St. Anthony of Padua would regularly travel on horseback up from San Antonio to celebrate mass at the home of Linn B. Sanders. In 1908, the Catholic Women’s Guild was formed to raise funds for a church, which would be constructed that same year at 61 Olive Street adjacent to a private cemetery – land no other residents were willing to build on. As the number of area Catholics grew, a new provisional church and school were built on US 41 in 1964. By the end of the decade the parish was once again moved, this time to its present location.

Erected 2011 by Diocese of St. Petersburg.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Religion & Religious Structures • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1874.

Location. 28° 32.218′ N, 82° 23.465′ W. Marker is in Brooksville, Florida, in Hernando County. It can be reached from

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the intersection of Cortez Boulevard (State Road 50) and Hope Hill Road, on the right when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 20428 Cortez Blvd, Brooksville FL 34601, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is on Florida’s Gulf Coast

and on Tampa Bay.

It is also in the American South

and on the Gulf Coast.

Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

North America,

a Gulf of Mexico state,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain,

the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: 1885 Train Depot (approx. 0.9 miles away); Historic Sidewalk (approx. 0.9 miles away); Chocochatti (approx. 1.2 miles away); Hernando County Confederate Monument (approx. 1.3 miles away); Hernando County (approx. 1.3 miles away); Hernando County War Memorial (approx. 1.3 miles away); Hernando County Global War on Terrorism Memorial

Photographed by Fr. Len Plazewski, June 30, 2011

2. St. Anthony the Abbot Church Marker

(approx. 1.3 miles away); City of Brooksville (approx. 1.4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Brooksville.

St. Anthony the Abbot Church image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Fr. Len Plazewski

3. St. Anthony the Abbot Church

St. Anthony the Abbot Church Interior image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Fr. Len Plazewski, January 11, 2010

4. St. Anthony the Abbot Church Interior

St. Anthony the Abbot Church Interior - Main Altar image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Fr. Len Plazewski, January 11, 2010

5. St. Anthony the Abbot Church Interior - Main Altar

Picture of the original St. Anthony the Abbot Church (on Olive Street) image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Fr. Len Plazewski, June 30, 2011

6. Picture of the original St. Anthony the Abbot Church (on Olive Street)

Credits. This page was last revised on August 6, 2017. It was originally submitted on July 1, 2011, by Fr. Len Plazewski of Tampa, Florida. This page has been viewed 1,891 times since then and 65 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on July 1, 2011, by Fr. Len Plazewski of Tampa, Florida. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.