Hernando County is named for Hernando De Soto, who was a Spanish explorer who travelled through Florida.
Surrounding County Courthouses:
N – Citrus County
E – Sumter County
S – Pasco County
W – Gulf of Mexico
Created: February 24, 1843 
County Seat:
DeSoto 1843 – 1854
Bayport 1854 – 1855
Melendez 1855 – 1856
Brooksville 1856 – 1860
Bayport 1860 -1863
Brooksville 1863 – present
County Courthouse – Brooksville
Location: 20 North Main Street / West Jefferson Street
Built: 1913 – 1914
Style: Classical Revival
Architect: William Augustine Edwards of Atlanta, Georgia
Contractor: J F Jenkins.
Description: The building faces north and is a three story red colored brick, stone and concrete structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Brooksville. The porticoes at the north and west sides have four large white colored columns rising to a header with ornamental crest at the roof line. A wide projecting cornice runs below the third story. A smaller cornice runs below the roof line. The building is connected to the County Government Center on the east side. The building houses the County Circuit Court of the 5th Judicial District and County Court. In the interior, the old County Circuit Court courtroom is located on the north side of the second story. The building houses the Circuit Court of the 5th Judicial Circuit and County Court. The building was renovated in 1994. The architect was Sanford M Goldman and the contractor was Laseter Engineering & Construction Inc.
County Government Center – Brooksville
Location: 20 North Main Street / West Jefferson Street
Built: 1988 – 1989
Style: Modern
Architect: Sanford M Goldman
Contractor: Case Construction Company
Description: The building faces west and is a two story red colored brick, concrete and glass structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Brooksville on the east side of the courthouse. The building is “U” shaped with a courtyard and main entrance off the courtyard. The sides of the building have large glass panels divided by brick and concrete dividers. The entrance lobby has a slanted glass roof. The roof line is flat. The building is connected to the courthouse on the west side.
See: The 5th Judicial Circuit includes Citrus County, Lake County, Marion County and Sumter County.
See: The county is located in the Fifth Judicial District of the Court of Appeal – Fifth Judicial District located in Daytona Beach.
History: The county was created in 1843 as Benton County and DeSoto was selected as the county seat. The residents attended court in Newmansville in Alachua County until court was held at the home of Major Isaac Garrison in Melendez. The county name was changed to Hernando in 1850. The county seat was moved to Bayport in 1854 and then to Melendez in 1855 which changed name to Brookville in 1856. The first courthouse was a wood structure built in 1855 on the present site. The county seat was changed back to Bayport in 1860 but returned to Brooksville in 1863. The courthouse burned in 1877 and the second courthouse, a two story frame structure was built in 1878 with lumber from the mill owned by T S Coogler. The third and present courthouse was constructed in 1913 to 1914. The County Government Center was constructed in 1988 to 1989.
County Courthouse - Brooksville
County Circuit Court courtroom
County Government Center
Photos taken 2009 and 2018