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Montbrook

Latitude	Longitude
29.32694	-82.45055

mapMontbrooktwn.bmp (152398 bytes)

Do you know the original use of this building located in Montbrook?

if so let us know.

Tidbits of Montbrook history

presented by Sherrie Ann

The 1911-1912 edition of the R.L. Polk & Company’s “Florida Gazeteer & Business Directory” states that:

* Montbrook had a population of 481.

* It was an incorporated town on the ACL & SAL Ry’s in Levy County.

* It was 16 miles southeast of Bronson, the judicial seat.

* Had Baptist & Methodist Episcopal Churches.

* Had a public school

* 2 sawmills

* Mayor was Daniel Linbough

* Marshal was A.G. McDonald

The 1918 edition of the R.L Polk & Company’s “Florida Gazeteer & Business Directory” states that:

* Montbrook had a population of 500.

* A Baptist and a Methodist Churches

* A hotel named THE DAVIS HOTEL owned & operated by JR Davis

* 3 general stores

* a barber

* a meat store

* a livery stable

* a drug store

* The Florida Land Company (sawmill & naval stores)

* DM Flynn & Company (naval store)

* The Wekiva Naval Store Company

The 1925 it shows a population of 250 and the town consisted of the above mentioned, plus a notary the Veneer & Basket Company, a livery stable, 5 livestock breeders, and a ties and post company.

None of the lumber or naval stores listed in 1925 appear in the Levy County section of the “Industrial Directory of Florida” 1935-36 complied by the Florida State of Commerce. There is no listing for Montbrook between these years, which leads us to believe the town had declined since the 1925 Gazeteer.

* Plummer Cemetery is located on Rt 41 just southwest of Montbrook.

* The Davis Hotel mentioned above had 13 rooms, 8 fireplaces, and a three sided wrap around porch. It was refurbished and is now brick. It was moved on timbers and rolled a few feet down from where it originally stood.

* The Montbrook Post office was located on a piece of property just a few yards down from where the Davis Hotel stood. Miss Emily Sneller became postmistress in 1915 when her father Peter Otto Sneller turned 70 years old and served until the town burned out due to a fire in the sawmill and mail began coming through the Williston Post Office. The Montbrook Post Office was disestablished on September 30, 1955.

* Peter Otto Sneller’s other daughter, Miss Agnes Sheffield was the Montbrook school teacher and was adored by all.

The Postal Records Indicate that the town had a few name changes over the years:

* It originated as Ambler, Florida

* It was then established on August 10, 1891 as Phoenix Heights, Florida

* Finally it became Montbrook, Florida (named in honor of Montholon Brooks) on July 22, 1899.

Montholon Brooks married Mary Plummer in 1877 and was a farmer by profession.

Prior to 1892 when the town was known as Phoenix Heights, it became known as Ambler, probably named for the lumber and timber baron, DC Ambler of Ambler & Taliaferro Lumber Company in business from 1889-1900.

* Montbrook was bigger than Williston and ran all the way to Morriston on Rt 41.

* The average lot was 40’X 90’.

* The Montbrook Train Depot is no longer there but the railroad tracks are still in use today.

* The railroad line through Montbrook was opened in 1893 by The Plant System RRs. The Plant System became part of the Atlantic Coast Line RR in 1902.

* The old commissary still remains where the sawmill workers would exchange

tokens for food and supplies.

Found in: Florida Photographic Collection Title: [Map of the plant system of railway, steamer, and steamship lines and connections] [graphic] Author: Imprint: 19--. Related URL: http://fpc.dos.state.fl.us/reference/rc14378.jpg
BIB Call Number: ISBN:

this page was last updated on: 08/30/10 08:14 PM

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