Brown County Jail - Brownwood, TX
Posted by: 
WalksfarTX
N 31° 43.410 W 098° 59.865
14R E 500213 N 3509788
From 1903 to 1981 - 78 years - it was the Brown County Jail. In 1982 it became the Brown County Museum of History.
Waymark Code: WMRE7W
Location: Texas, United States
Date Posted: 06/17/2016
Views: 1
Brown County History
The castle like Brown County Museum of History building is four stories high, not including the basement. It took about 18 months to build this building, which was started in January of 1902 and completed on June 29,1903.
The building is built of native sandstone, cement, sand and steel. Lumber was used on the first floor, none upstairs (to prevent an inmate setting it afire.) The walls on the inside are 18 inches thick, made of stone, sand and cement. The thick walls are the pillars that support the building and they also make the building much cooler.
The sheriff and his family lived in the Sheriff's apartment on the first flood. The back yard at the jail was the children's play ground. There was another apartment downstairs for the jailer and his wife to live. They were the ones who prepared the meals for the prisoners and took care of the prisoners.
In 1963, while still serving as the County jail, the building received a Texas historical marker. The distinctive sandstone structure was in need of repair and renovation, but the building was determined to be structurally sound. Today, the old Brown County jail building is one of the most impressive structures in West-Central Texas, conveying fortress like strength and romantic medieval military tradition.
Hours:
Thursdays: 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Fridays: 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Saturdays: 10:00 am to 4:00 pm
Special tours are available
Phone: 325-641-1926