20 S Broad Street

20 South Broad Street – The General Garage

Welcome, everyone, to the lively heart of Brooksville’s historic downtown, where the past hums with stories of enterprise and community. As we stand at 20 South Broad Street, we’re in front of the General Garage, a 1915 gem that revs up tales of early automobiles and a dynamic husband-and-wife duo. Picture the roar of engines and the scent of motor oil—this was the domain of Zeke Rogers, whose Dodge dealership thrived here, right across from his wife Juanita Snow Rogers’ Quality Shop. Let’s roll back the years and explore this hub of Brooksville’s automotive past.

It’s 1915, and Broad Street—also known as U.S. 41—is the bustling spine of Brooksville’s commercial scene. Model Ts chug along, and the town is embracing the automobile age. The General Garage opens its doors as a Dodge dealership and repair shop, ready to service the growing number of cars rattling through our hilltop town. Built that very year, this sturdy building was perfectly positioned to catch the eye of travelers and locals alike, offering everything from new vehicles to tire patches in an era when cars were transforming daily life. Though specific records of the garage are scarce, its name and prime location scream “auto haven” in a time when Brooksville was gearing up for modernity.

Now, let’s meet Zeke and Juanita Rogers, a power couple who brought this corner to life. Zeke ran the General Garage, tinkering with engines and selling Dodge cars, while Juanita operated the Quality Shop just across the street, dazzling customers with fashionable goods. Imagine the two waving to each other between customers, their businesses anchoring this stretch of Broad Street. Their story adds a personal touch to the garage’s legacy, showing how family ties and entrepreneurship shaped Brooksville’s downtown. It’s like a snapshot of the American dream, right here on our main drag!

Broad Street itself was a hotbed of activity in the early 20th century, with landmarks like the First National Bank and Weeks Hardware nearby, as noted in historic tours. The General Garage fit right into this vibrant mix, contributing to the street’s reputation as a commercial powerhouse. Its 1915 construction aligns with the Classical Revival architecture of the era.

This brick building is actually stucco scored to look like brick over a real brick masonry building. The main character-defining feature of the building is the large arched opening that allowed vehicles to be driven into the building for repair and display. “This structure is indicative of the automotive and livery stable designs of buildings constructed in the early part of the 1900s. A large open central bay was common these days in order to bring the automotive field inside for repair or work” (Florida Master Site File).

This building has been owned by the Hogan family since 1989. There are large murals on the back of the building depicting the early physicians of Brooksville and Murphy’s Drugstore.

Citations

 “Tour of Historic Brooksville, Florida,” Florida Historical Society, accessed April 2, 2025, https://floridahistory.org/brooksville.htm

“Hernando Historical Museum Association,” Hernando Historical Museum Association, accessed April 15, 2025, https://www.hernandohistoricalmuseumassoc.com/.

Florida’s Master Site File for this address found at the Train Depot Museum

Hernando County Property Appraiser