A Texas Historical Marker here provides an overview:
Col. J.T. Brown founded town of Chico in 1876; built this hotel 1888.
In ceremony on hotel porch, Gov. Charles A. Culberson pardoned Brown for his part in an 1895 fight fatality.
Banker-tenant R. Lee Morris owned Brown Hotel from 1908 to 1965.
The Texas Historic Sites Atlas provides considerably more detail: (
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Located one block east of Chico's public square, the Brown Hotel was developed in several stages. In 1888 the first section was built with lumber hauled from Dallas in wagons. Incorporating wood frame construction, the plan was approximately square with a parlor, kitchen and dining room on the ground level. A steep, centrally located stair provided access to the second-story guest rooms, which opened onto a balcony facing west. The roof over this original section incorporated gables with decorative shingle patterns on the north and west. On the south a jerkin head roof was used. Presumably there was a gable roof on the east which was removed when an addition was made. The walls were finished in a straight forward manner. Clapboards provided the exterior finish; on the interior boards covered with wallpaper were employed. Windows incorporated four-over-four sashes; doors were paneled. On both the interior and exterior the trim is comprised of milled lumber without moldings. In 1898, five years after the Rock Island Railroad extended its tracks to Chico, the hotel was expanded on the east, with an addition that exceeded the original section in area. The ground level was divided into several large spaces and additional guest rooms were provided in the second story. However, the uses these ground levee's spaces served during the early years is unknown. Another stair provided additional access to these upper rooms.
In both the original section and in the addition, most rooms extended the full width of the structure providing for good cross ventilation. To provide symmetry along Decatur Street, another gable with decorative shingle work was added to the roof of the addition. A gable roof also was employed on the east elevation. The building now has seven large rooms in the first story and seven in the second.
In the addition an effort was made to match the details of the original building. However, there is some variation in the patterns of siding used to finish the exterior walls. Doors and windows were similar, although on the north doors with two glass lights surmounted by a semicircular form were used. A porch supported by turned columns with simple decorative brackets unified the composition of the north elevation.
In later years, other additions and some changes were made in the hotel. On the south a porch supported by wrought iron columns was constructed. West of this are several other additions that are undated. The southwestern section appears to date from 1910. The exterior wall finishes of these include both horizontal siding and boards and battens. Recently the roof was covered with asbestos shingles.
Several site features enhanced the hotel. At one time a picket fence surrounded the property. In addition; pecan trees were planted to provide shade. On the south, a well and cistern supplied water.
In 1976 the hotel became the official Bicentennial project of the community of Chico. At that time the exterior was renovated. On the interior the first-story rooms also were repaired and new wallpaper was installed. Restoration of the second-story rooms was in progress at the time this form was prepared, Some minor changes have been made in the plan and the plumbing has been renovated. Much of this work was accomplished with the assistance of volunteer labor, particularly from the local Lions Club.
Several parts of the building require repairs. Much of the wood in the west porch is rotten. Moreover, the shingles in the gables have been damaged by squirrels. Nonetheless the building is sound and mostly is in good repair. It is used now as a community center.
A community park is projected for the area east of the hotel.
The Brown Hotel exemplifies the type of lodging once found in numerous small Texas towns near the turn of the century. Its many gables and gable end detailing create additional interest on the fine but simple late Victorian structure. The Hotel continues to serve its original function as a major community focus.
In 1876 J.T. Brown, builder of the hotel, purchased the land on which Chico is located from R.C. Mount. That year the town of Chico was laid out by Brown, an immigrant from Chico, California, near Dry Creek, a tributary of the West Fork of the Trinity River. As was common the plan consisted of a public square surrounded by a rectangular grid of streets. Two acres of land were reserved by Mount for churches and one acre was reserved for a school. The town was founded as a speculative venture by Brown.
Over a decade later, Brown built his hotel near the public square. Although another hotel, The Chico, which no longer stands was built, the Brown Hotel was an important social center for the community. A livery stable which was formerly located across the street contributed to the convenience of the hotel. Drummers headquartered at the hotel and made calls to the houses in the surrounding neighborhoods.
J.T. Brown was a colorful figure. According to local historians was accused of murder in a case in which he defended a black from an attack by a white. Although he evidently was not brought to trial, in 1895 on the front porch of the hotel, the governor of Texas pardoned Brown.
In about 1908, R.L. Morris, a banker from Mississippi, purchased the hotel. Morris, who established a bank and mercantile store in Chico, retained ownership of the hotel until his death in 1965. He made the hotel his permanent residence.
Throughout its history, the hotel has been a social center of Chico and today it continues to serve various community functions. In 1976 the restoration of the building was the Bicentennial project of Chico. The Library Study Club purchased the building for $6,000, a sum which they raised through various activities, including raffles and rummage sales.
Among the local groups who contributed to the development of the restoration project were the Home Demonstration Club, Chico Lions Club, Parent Teachers Association, and the Chico Quilting Club. Then ownership was transferred to the Chico Civic Society. Two rooms of the original sections of the building are used for a public library; the Quilting Club works in another room of the building. Senior Citizens have monthly luncheons in the dining room. The Home Demonstration Club and Library Study Club use other rooms on the ground floor. On the second floor are museum displays. Included among the furnishings are a number of antiques and some of the original furniture.