Brownwood in Brown County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)
Brown County Jail
Photographed by Jeff Leichsenring, April 16, 2023
1. Brown County Jail Marker
In 1901, Brown County commissioners determined their 1881 jail no longer met the needs of the county, and voters authorized the issuance of bonds to pay for the construction of a new facility. The commissioners hired Martin, Moodie and Co. of Comanche, Texas, in partnership with the Youngblood Brothers, to undertake the project. Local contractor William Hood served as construction superintendent.
Completed in 1903, the Brown County Jail was designed to reflect the security of an ancient fortress and is one of the best remaining examples of this design in Texas. The castle-like appearance is clearly exhibited in the building's rusticated stone, castellated roofline, corner turrets and wide, Romanesque Revival arches. William F. and Albert Morton, English stonemasons, performed the exterior stonework using local sandstone. The Mortons' craftsmanship is evident in a number of other structures in Brownwood as well. The interior steelwork was designed by D.F. Youngblood of San Antonio and his brothers from Troy, Alabama, later founders of the Southern Steel Company, a noteworthy builder of prisons and manufacturer of prison
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By 1981, the building was unable to meet modern jail standards and it ceased to function in that capacity. Revitalized for use as a county museum, it remains a significant part of Brown County's architectural heritage.
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1963
Erected 1963 by Texas Historical Commission. (Marker Number 23448.)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Law Enforcement. A significant historical year for this entry is 1903.
Location. 31° 43.413′ N, 98° 58.861′ W. Marker is in Brownwood, Texas, in Brown County. It is at the intersection of North Broadway Street and North Center Avenue, on the right when traveling west on North Broadway Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 212 N Broadway St, Brownwood TX 76801, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Big Country. Globally, it is in North America, a Gulf of Mexico state, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Welcome William Chandler (here, next to this marker); Greenleaf Fisk (1807-1888) (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Camp Collier, C.S.A. (about 300 feet away); Coggin and Parks Building (about 400 feet away); Courthouses of Brown County (about 500 feet away); J. A. Walker House (approx. 0.4 miles away); R. B. Rogers House (approx. 0.4 miles away); Brooke Smith (approx. half a mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Brownwood.
Credits. This page was last revised on April 19, 2023. It was originally submitted on April 28, 2022, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 606 times since then and 43 times this year. Last updated on July 11, 2022, by Joe Lotz of Flower Mound, Texas. Photos: 1. submitted on April 18, 2023, by Jeff Leichsenring of Garland, Texas. 2. submitted on April 28, 2022, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. • J. Makali Bruton was the editor who published this page.
