BlockBefore

Brown County, Texas

85 topographic sheets and 10 fire insurance atlases across 1 place.

Research this county

From the record

7 National Register listings published here.

Sources: the county history on the Internet Archive · the National Register database, National Park Service

Texas within the United States
Brown County within Texas

What the record shows

  • 1 place in this county was surveyed for fire insurance: Brownwood, between 1885 and 1960.
  • 10 fire insurance atlases survive for the county. Topographic coverage is national; fire insurance survey reached only incorporated places with something worth insuring.
  • 480 topographic sheet readings cover the county's settlements.
  • 7 properties here are on the National Register of Historic Places: 7 buildings.
  • 2 of the 7 listings were added during the 1970s.
  • The Geographic Names Information System records 31 populated places in this county; 31 are covered by at least one topographic sheet.

Photographs

40 photographs, 1939 to 2014

Taken for the Office of War Information and the Farm Security Administration, who photographed the country between 1935 and 1944. Works of United States government photographers, with no known restriction on use. Each opens its catalogue record.

Picking turkeys at cooperative poultry house. Brownwood, Texas
Picking turkeys at cooperative poultry house. Brownwood, Texas
Lee, Russell, 1939. Library of Congress
Old roadside buildings, including a partial quonset structure, in Zephyr, an unincorporated town in Brown County, Texas
Old roadside buildings, including a partial quonset structure, in Zephyr, an unincorporated town in Brown County, Texas
Highsmith, Carol M, 2014. Library of Congress
Feeding poultry in pens at cooperative poultry house. Brownwood, Texas
Feeding poultry in pens at cooperative poultry house. Brownwood, Texas
Lee, Russell, 1939. Library of Congress
Turkey pickers waiting for work to start. Cooperative poutry plant, Brownwood, Texas
Turkey pickers waiting for work to start. Cooperative poutry plant, Brownwood, Texas
Lee, Russell, 1939. Library of Congress
Picking turkeys at cooperative poultry house. Brownwood, Texas
Picking turkeys at cooperative poultry house. Brownwood, Texas
Lee, Russell, 1939. Library of Congress
Sponging of the necks of freshly-picked turkeys. Cooperative poultry house, Brownwood, Texas
Sponging of the necks of freshly-picked turkeys. Cooperative poultry house, Brownwood, Texas
Lee, Russell, 1939. Library of Congress
Grading turkeys at cold storage plant. Brownwood, Texas
Grading turkeys at cold storage plant. Brownwood, Texas
Lee, Russell, 1939. Library of Congress
Weighing turkeys at unloading platform of cooperative poultry house. Brownwood, Texas
Weighing turkeys at unloading platform of cooperative poultry house. Brownwood, Texas
Lee, Russell, 1939. Library of Congress
Handing scalded turkey to picker. Cooperative poultry house, Brownwood, Texas
Handing scalded turkey to picker. Cooperative poultry house, Brownwood, Texas
Lee, Russell, 1939. Library of Congress
Farmer removing turkey from his car which he has brought to the cooperative poultry house. Brownwood, Texas
Farmer removing turkey from his car which he has brought to the cooperative poultry house. Brownwood, Texas
Lee, Russell, 1939. Library of Congress
Typing sacks of turkey feathers onto trucks. Cooperative poultry house, Brownwood, Texas
Typing sacks of turkey feathers onto trucks. Cooperative poultry house, Brownwood, Texas
Lee, Russell, 1939. Library of Congress
Turkey escaping from pen. The aprons hanging on the pen are used by the men who handle turkeys immediately after they are killed and while they are bleeding. Cooperative poultry plant, Brownwood, Texas
Turkey escaping from pen. The aprons hanging on the pen are used by the men who handle turkeys immediately after they are killed and while they are bleeding. Cooperative poultry plant, Brownwood, Texas
Lee, Russell, 1939. Library of Congress
Picking a turkey. Cooperative poultry house, Brownwood, Texas
Picking a turkey. Cooperative poultry house, Brownwood, Texas
Lee, Russell, 1939. Library of Congress
Peanut hay in feed store. Brownwood Texas
Peanut hay in feed store. Brownwood Texas
Lee, Russell, 1939. Library of Congress
Grading turkeys at cold storage plant. Brownwood, Texas
Grading turkeys at cold storage plant. Brownwood, Texas
Lee, Russell, 1939. Library of Congress
Hand-painted sign for a restaurant in Brownwood, the seat of Brown County in Central Texas
Hand-painted sign for a restaurant in Brownwood, the seat of Brown County in Central Texas
Highsmith, Carol M, 2014. Library of Congress
Farmer unloading turkeys from his truck at cooperative poultry house. Brownwood, Texas
Farmer unloading turkeys from his truck at cooperative poultry house. Brownwood, Texas
Lee, Russell, 1939. Library of Congress
Packing turkeys into boxes for shipping. Cold storage plant, Brownwood, Texas
Packing turkeys into boxes for shipping. Cold storage plant, Brownwood, Texas
Lee, Russell, 1939. Library of Congress
Texas flag, painted on boarded-up window in Brownwood, the seat of Brown County in Central Texas
Texas flag, painted on boarded-up window in Brownwood, the seat of Brown County in Central Texas
Highsmith, Carol M, 2014. Library of Congress
Picking turkeys at cooperative poultry house. Brownwood, Texas
Picking turkeys at cooperative poultry house. Brownwood, Texas
Lee, Russell, 1939. Library of Congress
Picking turkeys at cooperative poultry house. Brownwood, Texas
Picking turkeys at cooperative poultry house. Brownwood, Texas
Lee, Russell, 1939. Library of Congress
Grading turkeys at cold storage plant. Brownwood, Texas
Grading turkeys at cold storage plant. Brownwood, Texas
Lee, Russell, 1939. Library of Congress
Loading truck with hay at feed store. Brownwood, Texas
Loading truck with hay at feed store. Brownwood, Texas
Lee, Russell, 1939. Library of Congress
Packing turkeys into boxes at cold storage plant. Brownwood, Texas. Brownwood is one of the largest shipping plants for turkeys
Packing turkeys into boxes at cold storage plant. Brownwood, Texas. Brownwood is one of the largest shipping plants for turkeys
Lee, Russell, 1939. Library of Congress
Handling crate of chickens at cooperative poultry house. Brownwood, Texas
Handling crate of chickens at cooperative poultry house. Brownwood, Texas
Lee, Russell, 1939. Library of Congress
Sponging of the necks of freshly-picked turkeys. Cooperative poultry house, Brownwood, Texas
Sponging of the necks of freshly-picked turkeys. Cooperative poultry house, Brownwood, Texas
Lee, Russell, 1939. Library of Congress
Packing turkeys into boxes for shipping at cold storage plant. Brownwood, Texas
Packing turkeys into boxes for shipping at cold storage plant. Brownwood, Texas
Lee, Russell, 1939. Library of Congress
Sacks of feathers and bloody overalls at cooperative poultry house. Brownwood, Texas
Sacks of feathers and bloody overalls at cooperative poultry house. Brownwood, Texas
Lee, Russell, 1939. Library of Congress
Street sign for a barbecue restaurant in Brownwood, the seat of Brown County in Central Texas. Texas vies with North Carolina and the city of Kansas City as avowed "barbecue capitals" of the country
Street sign for a barbecue restaurant in Brownwood, the seat of Brown County in Central Texas. Texas vies with North Carolina and the city of Kansas City as avowed "barbecue capitals" of the country
Highsmith, Carol M, 2014. Library of Congress
Grading turkeys at cold storage plant. Brownwood, Texas
Grading turkeys at cold storage plant. Brownwood, Texas
Lee, Russell, 1939. Library of Congress
Picking turkeys at cooperative poultry house. Brownwood, Texas
Picking turkeys at cooperative poultry house. Brownwood, Texas
Lee, Russell, 1939. Library of Congress
Weighing turkeys at unloading platform at cooperative poultry house. Brownwood, Texas
Weighing turkeys at unloading platform at cooperative poultry house. Brownwood, Texas
Lee, Russell, 1939. Library of Congress
Picking turkeys at cooperative poultry house. Brownwood, Texas
Picking turkeys at cooperative poultry house. Brownwood, Texas
Lee, Russell, 1939. Library of Congress
Packing picked turkeys in boxes at cold storage plant. Brownwood, Texas
Packing picked turkeys in boxes at cold storage plant. Brownwood, Texas
Lee, Russell, 1939. Library of Congress
Lining boxes with paper before packing with turkeys. Cold storage plant, Brownwood, Texas
Lining boxes with paper before packing with turkeys. Cold storage plant, Brownwood, Texas
Lee, Russell, 1939. Library of Congress
The Brown County Courthouse in Brownwood, Texas
The Brown County Courthouse in Brownwood, Texas
Highsmith, Carol M, 2014. Library of Congress
Street sign for a barbecue restaurant in Brownwood, the seat of Brown County in Central Texas. Texas vies with North Carolina and the city of Kansas City as avowed "barbecue capitals" of the country
Street sign for a barbecue restaurant in Brownwood, the seat of Brown County in Central Texas. Texas vies with North Carolina and the city of Kansas City as avowed "barbecue capitals" of the country
Highsmith, Carol M, 2014. Library of Congress
Downtown streetscape in Zephyr, an unincorporated town in Brown County, Texas
Downtown streetscape in Zephyr, an unincorporated town in Brown County, Texas
Highsmith, Carol M, 2014. Library of Congress
Grading turkeys at cold storage plant. Brownwood, Texas
Grading turkeys at cold storage plant. Brownwood, Texas
Lee, Russell, 1939. Library of Congress
Continental Grain Company, 307 South Washington Street, Brownwood, Brown County, TX
Continental Grain Company, 307 South Washington Street, Brownwood, Brown County, TX
Photographer not recorded. Library of Congress

Places on the National Register

7

Every property in this county listed on the National Register of Historic Places, with the year it was listed and the federal nomination document.

Photograph PropertyType ListedReference
Brown County Jailbuilding198383003129
Greenleaf Fisk Housebuilding200404000103
R.F. Hardin High Schoolbuilding199999000722
Santa Fe Railroad Stationbuilding197676002012
St. John's Episcopal Churchbuilding197979002923
Walker, J. A., House and Rogers, R. B., Housebuilding198282004494
Weakley-Watson Buildingbuilding2020100005003

Bird's-eye views and land ownership maps

2

Drawn when these were printed as single large sheets: the town seen from the air, and the county divided into its farms with every owner named. Each opens the original at the Library of Congress.

Land ownership map, 1876 - Map of Brown Co., state of Texas : showing the extent of all public surveys, land grants and all other official information compiled from the records of the General Land Office at Austin
Land ownership map (1876) - Map of Brown Co., state of Texas : showing the extent of all public surveys, land grants and all other official information compiled from the records of the General Land Office at Austin. Library of Congress.
Land ownership map, 189? - Map of portions of Eastland, Brown and Comanche Counties : showing the lands of the Texas and Pacific R'y Co. in yellow color
Land ownership map (189?) - Map of portions of Eastland, Brown and Comanche Counties : showing the lands of the Texas and Pacific R'y Co. in yellow color. Library of Congress.

Photographs from libraries nationwide

1 of 2 shown

Selected from the Digital Public Library of America's 2 image records catalogued for this county. Every one shown here carries a public-domain status or a licence that permits reuse on a site that carries advertising; non-commercial, share-alike and restricted images are excluded. The selection is spread across the county's towns (at most eight per town), so no single institution's bulk upload crowds out the rest. Each opens the holding library's record, and the complete set at the Digital Public Library of America is one click away.

U. S. O. Club, Brownwood, Texas, Boston Public Library - undated
U. S. O. Club, Brownwood, Texas. Boston Public Library, via the Digital Public Library of America.

The county from the air

36 shown

Flown by the U.S. Geological Survey between 1937 and 1989, the Aerial Photo Single Frames collection is the definitive mid-century view of the land: fields, roads and rivers as the camera saw them. The Survey holds 1,072 frames inside the rectangle that bounds this county; the 36 frames below were taken over the county itself, chosen across the decades of flights (at most four a year from that rectangle), so one flight cannot crowd out the rest. The full set is free to browse and download at EarthExplorer under the dataset Aerial Photo Single Frames.

U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1948-10-01, scale 1:20000
1948-10-01, scale 1:20000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1948-10-01, scale 1:20000
1948-10-01, scale 1:20000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1948-10-01, scale 1:20000
1948-10-01, scale 1:20000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1948-10-01, scale 1:20000
1948-10-01, scale 1:20000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1952-11-20, scale 1:69000
1952-11-20, scale 1:69000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1952-11-20, scale 1:69000
1952-11-20, scale 1:69000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1952-11-20, scale 1:69000
1952-11-20, scale 1:69000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1952-11-20, scale 1:69000
1952-11-20, scale 1:69000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1953-04-21, scale 1:69000
1953-04-21, scale 1:69000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1953-04-21, scale 1:69000
1953-04-21, scale 1:69000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1953-04-21, scale 1:69000
1953-04-21, scale 1:69000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1953-04-21, scale 1:69000
1953-04-21, scale 1:69000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1961-07-19, scale 1:17200
1961-07-19, scale 1:17200. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1961-07-19, scale 1:17200
1961-07-19, scale 1:17200. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1961-07-19, scale 1:17200
1961-07-19, scale 1:17200. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1961-07-19, scale 1:17200
1961-07-19, scale 1:17200. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1965-01-17, scale 1:18400
1965-01-17, scale 1:18400. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1965-01-17, scale 1:18400
1965-01-17, scale 1:18400. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1965-01-17, scale 1:18400
1965-01-17, scale 1:18400. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1965-01-17, scale 1:18400
1965-01-17, scale 1:18400. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1968-02-06, scale 1:18400
1968-02-06, scale 1:18400. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1968-02-06, scale 1:18400
1968-02-06, scale 1:18400. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1968-02-06, scale 1:18400
1968-02-06, scale 1:18400. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1968-02-06, scale 1:18400
1968-02-06, scale 1:18400. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1970-03-13, scale 1:111984
1970-03-13, scale 1:111984. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1970-03-13, scale 1:111984
1970-03-13, scale 1:111984. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1970-03-13, scale 1:112222
1970-03-13, scale 1:112222. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1970-03-13, scale 1:112222
1970-03-13, scale 1:112222. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1975-01-07, scale 1:25000
1975-01-07, scale 1:25000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1975-01-07, scale 1:25000
1975-01-07, scale 1:25000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1975-01-07, scale 1:25000
1975-01-07, scale 1:25000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1975-01-07, scale 1:25000
1975-01-07, scale 1:25000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1976-01-28, scale 1:80000
1976-01-28, scale 1:80000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1976-01-28, scale 1:80000
1976-01-28, scale 1:80000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1976-01-28, scale 1:80000
1976-01-28, scale 1:80000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1976-01-28, scale 1:80000
1976-01-28, scale 1:80000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.

Weather records

11 stations, 3 gages

The thermometers that kept this county's weather, and the gages that measured the flow of its streams, as the federal records hold them. The extremes below are measured values from those records, not estimates.

The 1950 census, district by district

42 districts

Who lived here in 1950, one enumeration district at a time, as the Census Bureau described each district. Each row opens its official National Archives result, with Population Schedules and ED Maps available there.

  • 25-1Justice Precinct 1: Brownwood city: Brownwood city - That part of Ward 1 Bounded by City limits; Walnut; Belle Plain Ave.; City limits
  • 25-2Brownwood city - That part of Ward 1 Bounded by Belle Plain Ave., Walnut; City limits, Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway; U.S. Hwy. 67; City limits
  • 25-3Brownwood city - That part of Ward 1 Bounded by U.S. Hwy. 67; Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway; Petty, Property boundary of Brick Plant; City limits
  • 25-4Brownwood city - That part of Ward 1 Bounded by City limits, Property boundary of Brick Plant, Petty; Adams Branch; City limits; City limits
  • 25-5Bbrownwood city - That part of Ward 1 Bounded by City limits; City limits; U.S. Hwy. 67; Old City limits, City limits
  • 25-5ABrownwood city - That part of Ward 1 Bounded by City limits; Old city limits, U.S Hwy. 283; Mellwood, Beaver; Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway
  • 25-6Brownwood city - That part of Ward 1 excluding Brownwood Hotel Bounded by Mellwood, U.S. Hwy. 283; Ward line; Slough, S. Broadway, Unnamed street, Unnamed street, Milton, Commerce; Austin Ave., Austin Ave.extended, Clark, W. Depot
  • 25-7Brownwood Hotel (In Brownwood city, Ward 1)
  • 25-8Brownwood city - That part of Ward 1 Bounded by Commerce, Milton, Unnamed street, Unnamed street, S. Broadway, Slough; Slough Ward line, Ave. C; Austin Ave.
  • 25-9Brownwood city - That part of Ward 2 Bounded by Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway; Beaver; Mellwood; Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway
  • 25-10Brownwood city - That part of Ward 2 Bounded by Petty; Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway; Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway Right - Of - Way; City limits, Adams Branch
  • 25-11Brownwood city - That part of Ward 2 Bounded by Mellwood; W. Depot, Clark; Austin Ave. extended, Austin Ave.; Commerce, Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway Right - Of - Way; Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway
  • 25-12Brownwood city - That part of Ward 2 Bounded by Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway, Commerce; Austin Ave.; Irma, 1st, Ave. C.; 8th, U.S. Hwy. 283
  • 25-13ABrownwood city - That part of ward 2 Bounded by Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway Right - Of - Way; U.S. Hwy. 283, 8th; Ave. C; Old city limits
  • 25-13BBrownwood city - That part of Ward 2 Bounded by old city limits; U.S. Hwy. 283; City limits; City limits
  • 25-14Brownwood city - That part of Ward 3 Bounded by Ave. C, 1st, Irma, Austin Ave., Ave. C, Ward line; Old city limits; Old city limits, Coggin Ave.; 2nd
  • 25-15Brownwood city - That part of Ward 3 Bounded by Coggin Ave.; Old city limits, Ave. G., Cottage; Ave. 1, Vine, Ave. J; 2nd
  • 25-16BBrownwood city - That part of Ward 3 Bounded by U.S. Hwy. 67; City limits; Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway Right - Of - Way, Ward line; Old city limits, Cottage, Ave. G, Old city limits, Slough, Old city limits
  • 25-16ABrownwood city - That part of Ward 3 Bounded by Ave. J, Vine, Ave. I; Old city limits; Slayden; 2nd
  • 25-17Brownwood city - That part of Ward 3 Bounded by Slayden; Old city limits, Ward line; Ward line, Willis Creek; Ward line, 2nd
  • 25-18Brownwood city - That part of Ward 4 Bounded by Ave. C, 8th, Ave. C; 2nd; Ave. E, 8th, Ave. E; Unnamed street
  • 25-19ABrownwood city - That part of Ward 4 Bounded by Ave. E; 8th, Ave. I, 8th; Ave. K, Old city limits; Unnamed street, Ave. K, 13th, Old city limits, 14th, Coggin, Old city limits, Unnamed street, Unnamed street
  • 25-19BBrownwood city - That part of Ward 4 Bounded by Old city limits; Woodland Engle Hts.; City limits; City limits, U.S. Hwy. 283
  • 25-20Brownwood city - That part of Ward 4 Bounded by Ave. E; 2nd; Ave. J; 8th, Ave. 1, 8th
  • 25-21Brownwood city - That part of Ward 4 Bounded by Ave. J; 2nd, Ward line; Willis Creek; Old city limits, Ave. K, 8th
  • 25-22Brownwood city - That part of Ward 4 Bounded by Old city limits, Ward line, Idlewild, Ward line, Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway Right - Of - Way; City limits; City limits, Willis Creek, Wood extended, Wood, Austin Ave, Unnamed street; 4th extended, 4th, Stewart, Unnamed street
  • 25-23Justice Precinct 1 - That part north of U.S. Hwy. 67 and State Hwy. 279, outside Brownwood city
  • 25-24Justice Precinct 1 - That part south of State Hwy. 279 and west of U.S. Hwy. 283, outside Brownwood city
  • 25-25Justice Precinct 1 - That part south of U.S. Hwy. 67 and east of U.S. Hwy. 283, outside Brownwood city and Woodland - Engle Heights, unincorporated (See separate map for boundaries of Woodland - Engle Heights)
  • 25-26Justice Precinct 2: Justice Precinct 2 - That part east of U.S. Hwy. 283
  • 25-27Justice Precinct 2 - That part west of U.S. Hwy. 283 and north of May - Byrds Rd.
  • 25-28Justice Precinct 2 - That part south of Byrds - May Rd. and west of U.S. Hwy. 283
  • 25-29Justice Precinct 3: Blanket town
  • 25-30Justice Precinct 3 - That part north of Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway, outside Blanket town
  • 25-31Justice Precinct 3 - That part south of Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway, outside Blanket town
  • 25-32Justice Precinct 4
  • 25-33Justice Precinct 5
  • 25-34Justice Precinct 6: Bangs town
  • 25-35Justice Precinct 6 - That part north of Jim Ned Creek and south shoreline of Lake Brownwood
  • 25-36Justice Precinct 6 - That part south of Jim Ned Creek and Lake Brownwood and north of Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway, outside Bangs town
  • 25-37Justice Precinct 6 - That part south of Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway, outside Bangs town
  • 25-38Justice Precinct 8

Wildfire, 2005 to 2020

1,282 fires

Every wildfire the federal occurrence database records inside this county: 1,282 of them, burning about 23,770 acres. 34 started naturally and 19 were recorded as arson. Each settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it.

Reported cause Fires
Missing data/not specified/undetermined416
Debris and open burning388
Equipment and vehicle use280
Power generation/transmission/distribution68
Smoking35
Natural34
Recreation and ceremony20
Arson/incendiarism19
Railroad operations and maintenance17
Misuse of fire by a minor5

The five largest, by the area the report gives. None of them was recorded as arson.

DateCause SizeReported by Name on the report
3 April 2011Missing data/not specified/undetermined3,355 acresTexas A & M Forest ServiceCAMP BOWIE FIRE
23 July 2018Missing data/not specified/undetermined1,658 acresTexas A & M Forest Service259
14 July 2020Missing data/not specified/undetermined1,000 acresTexas A & M Forest ServiceFIRE
16 June 2008Missing data/not specified/undetermined901 acresTexas A & M Forest ServiceCAMP BOWIE FIRE
14 July 2020Debris and open burning760 acresTexas A & M Forest Service192B
15 October 2015Equipment and vehicle use750 acresTexas A & M Forest ServiceWHITLEY
22 July 2008Equipment and vehicle use500 acresTexas A & M Forest Servicenot named
27 December 2005Debris and open burning500 acresTexas A & M Forest Servicenot named

Every settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it - see the settlement index below.

Storms, 1955 to 2026

60 of 679 shown

The NOAA Storm Events Database holds 679 reports for this county, causing 4 deaths, 22 injuries and about $63,754,000 in recorded property damage. Each settlement page carries the reports that name it.

Kind of event Reports
Hail390
Thunderstorm Wind176
Flash Flood63
Tornado38
Flood5
Funnel Cloud4
Heavy Rain3

The most serious of them, by death, then injury, then recorded damage. The accounts are quoted exactly as the forecast office filed them.

WhenEvent Place namedHarm What the report says
June 1997Flash FloodBrownwood1 killed, $250,000Streams and creeks rose rapidly and overflowed in heavy rains. A motorist drowned when he attemped to cross a rapidly overflowing low water crossing on County Road 411 near Hogg Creek. His suburban was washed off the road by swift water. The passenger escaped and was rescued unharmed. The attempted crossing occurred around 2340 CST the night of the 22nd.Lake Brownwood rose nearly three feet above its spillway. At least 90 residents near the lake were stranded due to four-foot high waters at a low water crossing. In and around the city of Brownwood, streets and roads were closed due to the flooding.
February 2001Thunderstorm WindBrownwood1 killed, $10,000One man was fatally injured when an apparent downburst flipped his mobile home.
May 2019FloodRicker1 killed, $5,000Brownwood Fire Chief said the driver a 2006 Nissan Frontier pickup went around a road block on CR 257 at 10 Mile Crossing about 1:30 a.m. CDT Sunday. The fire chief estimated the water was about 30-foot deep at that point. The truck was submerged and swept down Pecan Bayou. A woman drowned at County Road 257 where it crosses Pecan Bayou. Pecan Bayou was at about 30 foot deep and was running above normal.
July 2015Flash FloodThrifty1 killedA man drowned when his truck was swept off the road by rushing waters approximately 6 miles north of Bangs where Jim Ned Creek crosses FM 2492 near County Road 105. The driver was able to exit the vehicle but was quickly washed downstream.
April 1976Tornado (F5)not stated11 hurt, $2,500,000no account filed
May 2020Thunderstorm WindLake Brownwood3 hurtThe Brown County Emergency Manager reported extensive damage to multiple docks, including Kirkland Docks on Lake Brownwood resulting in four minor injuries. |There were tree limbs blown down and some trees were snapped. The winds were estimated at 70 to 80 mph. A special thanks to Brownwood Lake Patrol, Brownwood and Brown County Emergency Management and Brownwood Amateur Radio Club.
April 1993Thunderstorm WindBrownwood2 hurt, $50,000Two people were injured when a travel-trailer was blown over by thunderstorms winds at the Lake Brownwood State Park. Numerous trees were also blown over. Total damage across Brown county was over $1 million.
October 2013Thunderstorm WindBrownwood2 hurtTwo old rotten trees fell onto a vehicle that had two passengers. Both passengers who were in the vehicle were injured.
October 1960Tornado (F2)not stated1 hurt, $2,500,000no account filed
May 2002HailLake Brownwood1 hurt, $10,000A person was injured when the vehicle they were driving was struck by baseball size hail and the windshield was broken. The injuries were from broken glass and hail stones. There was also some roof damage to houses.
August 1987Thunderstorm Windnot stated1 hurtno account filed
April 1970Tornado (F1)not stated1 hurtno account filed
July 2002Flash FloodCountywide$42,000,000Numerous showers and thunderstorms developed over Brown County just after midnight on the 6th. These thunderstorms remained nearly stationary through much of the night producing 12 to 14 inch rainfalls. This is in combination to the 6 to 8 inches of rain that had fallen in the days preceding the flood. The rain in Brown County fell directly into the catchments of the Jim Ned Creek, and Pecan Bayou, which empty into Lake Brownwood. Lake Brownwood crested on Sunday morning of the 7th, 7.7 feet over its spillway. Major flooding in Brownwood begins around 6 feet over the spillway. The flooded Pecan Bayou turned much of the Brownwood business district into a giant lake. Commerce Street in Brownwood was flooded with waist deep water. In Brownwood and Early, there were 54 homes with major damage, and 6 with minor damage. At Lake Brownwood there were 110 homes with major damage and 40 with minor damage.
June 2000Flash FloodBrownwood$7,500,000Rainfall of up to 10 inches inundated the city of Brownwood during the early morning hours of the 15th. All of the creeks and streams in the city overflowed, with the water flowing into several housing areas. At least 125 people were forced to evacuate their homes, with the Brownwood EMC estimating that 160 homes and businesses suffered some degree of water damage.
October 2018FloodGrosvenor$2,400,000Prolonged heavy rainfall flooded roads across Brown County since September and this new flooding damaged some roads and bridges in the county.
May 1994Thunderstorm WindConcord$500,000Six mobile homes were destroyed, four mobile homes had major damage, four houses suffered major damage, and minor damage was done to five mobile homes and four houses. There were numerous reports of damage to barns, sheds, and other outbuildings in the area.
May 1994Thunderstorm WindBangs$500,000Numerous mobile homes were damaged in and around Bangs.
May 1994Thunderstorm Windnot stated$500,000The severe thunderstorms which moved through Brown County during the evening hours damaged every mobile home in central and eastern Brown County, and damaged nearly every barn and storage building across the eastern part of the county. Thousands of trees and hundreds of power line poles were blown down.
May 1994Tornado (F1)Lake Brownwood$500,000A tornado at Lake Brownwood destroyed a home and a business, damaged several homes, and destroyed boat docks and boats. Extensive damage occurred at the Lake Brownwood State Park where numerous recreational vehicles and trailers were overturned.
April 1993Thunderstorm WindBrownwood$500,000Considerable amount of wind damage to homes and businesses was reported in Brownwood.
October 1993Thunderstorm WindBrownwood$500,000A strong downburst with F1 wind damage had a path three miles long and quarter mile wide through Brownwood. The worst damage included a roof blown off two rooms at the Holiday Inn, a cinder block wall blown down, a freight trailer blown over, and a roofing company was "unroofed".
December 2004Tornado (F1)Brownwood$500,000no account filed
May 2009Thunderstorm WindBrownwood$250,000The town of Brownwood experienced widespread wind damage across the central part of town. The Walmart, Krogers, Dollar General Store and a few other businesses experienced roof damage. The roofs were peeled off in a northeast to southwest direction. Some large oak trees were also blown over. This is consistent with straight line winds of 80 to 85 mph.
June 1997HailCross Cut$250,000no account filed
May 2007Thunderstorm WindBrownwood Bowie Arpt$200,000A wind gust of 87 MPH was measured by a Davis weather station before the anemometer broke. The survey team observed damage to several buildings and they saw numerous downed trees. An apartment wall collapsed and several mobile homes were severely damaged. The winds were part of a squall line that was moving through the area. A funnel cloud was sighted to the south of Brownwood shortly before the winds hit, and was likely associated with the tornado to the east of Brookesmith.
May 1996Thunderstorm WindLake Brownwood$200,000no account filed
April 2008Tornado (EF1)Bangs$150,000The NWS storm survey revealed an EF1 tornado with winds estimated at 90 mph, damaging grain silos, roofs and overturning a trailer.
May 1997Thunderstorm WindBrownwood$150,000Downburst winds occurred over an area from Lake Brownwood State Park to the towns of Early and north Brownwood. A wind gust to 67 mph was recorded at the Brownwood airport. Most of the damage was concentrated in Early and northeast Brownwood. Numerous trees were blown down and many fell on power lines. A warehouse was blown from its foundation near Lake Brownwood State Park.
January 1995Thunderstorm WindBrownwood$150,000A radio tower was toppled by high winds along with several billboards. A Wal-Mart sustained major damage.
May 2013Tornado (EF1)Blanket$100,000Blanket Volunteer Fire Fighters spotted this tornado as it approached the town of Blanket and as it moved south into the nearby ranch country. This tornado blew two heavy air conditioner units off of the high school. The twister caused roof damage to the gymnasium, a nearby bus barn and a nearby residence. It uprooted trees and knocked down power lines and steel fencing. It also tipped over two tombstones at the nearby cemetery. The tornado also snapped, damaged or uprooted many large Oak trees that were more than 100 years old south of Blanket.
May 1997Tornado (F1)Brownwood Arpt$100,000An off-duty weather observer witnessed a tornado which touched down on their house at Lake Brownwood. The tornado peeled the roof off and caused other damage to their house. Fortunately there were no injuries.
October 1997Thunderstorm WindBrownwood$100,000Strong winds and heavy rains caused major damage in some parts of Brownwood. Three trees and a power line were blown down, and an empty metal warehouse was overturned.
May 1995Tornado (F1)May$90,000A house was heavily damaged, a vacant mobile home was destroyed, several outbuildings were destroyed, and power lines were downed.
March 2004Tornado (F0)Cross Cut$50,000This tornado was observed by a law enforcement officer. Damage was most noted to trees.
May 1997HailBrownwood$50,000Hail up to golfball-size fell over most of the city of Brownwood.
June 1997Flash FloodBrownwood$50,000Heavy rains caused some flooding of country roads. One carry-all was washed of the road and submerged in the floodwaters. The passengers escaped uninjured.
June 1997Flash FloodBrookesmith$50,000Seven inches of rain fell at Brookesmith in southern Brown County.
May 1994Thunderstorm WindBrownwood$50,000A mobile home was destroyed by thunderstorm winds.
May 1994Tornado (F0)Early$50,000A tornado heavily damaged a building on Highway 377.
May 1994Thunderstorm WindMay$50,000Several houses were unroofed by thunderstorm winds.
June 1994Thunderstorm WindZephyr$50,000Thunderstorm winds gusting to 65 miles an hour destroyed a barn, broke windows and windshields, and blew down fences.
April 1993Thunderstorm WindEarly$50,000Considerable roof damage occurred at the Early High School, and a small plane was destroyed by high winds at a private airport.
October 1993HailMay$50,000This thunderstorm developed over eastern Colemean county and moved east, becoming severe over Brown county. Car windshields were knocked out at four miles SE of Bangs. Large tree limbs were reported downed in Brownwood. Extensive roof damage was reported in May from large hail.
April 1993Thunderstorm WindBrownwood$50,000Thunderstorm winds damaged hangars at the Brownwood Airport.
June 1996Thunderstorm WindBrownwood$50,000no account filed
May 1996Thunderstorm WindBrownwood$50,000no account filed
May 1995Thunderstorm WindBlanket$40,000The roofs were blown off two houses by high winds.
May 2007Flash FloodBrownwood$35,000Very heavy rains produced flash flooding throughout Brownwood. Severe street flooding occurred and rescues of people from homes was also reported.
June 1995Thunderstorm WindBrownwood$30,000Numerous trees and power lines were blown down by high winds. A tree was blown onto a car causing extensive damage, and at least one business lost its roof.
June 2000Thunderstorm WindBrownwood$25,000An apparent microburst tore through a small part of Brownwood. Several buildings suffered extensive roof and tree damage, including a grocery store that lost all of its large glass windows.
June 1997Thunderstorm WindBrownwood$25,000Large tree branches were blown down in Brownwood.
September 1996Flash FloodBrownwood$25,000no account filed
August 1986Tornado (F1)not stated$25,000no account filed
October 1979Tornado (F1)not stated$25,000no account filed
April 1964Tornado (F1)not stated$25,000no account filed
June 1955Tornado (F2)not stated$25,000no account filed
June 2004Thunderstorm WindBrownwood$20,000Numerous power lines and trees were downed when 80 MPH winds roared through the city of Brownwood.
March 2004Thunderstorm WindBrownwood$15,000Trees downed and buildings damaged.
April 2007Thunderstorm WindEarly$13,000The high winds blew a large tree onto a house and the strong winds downed power lines.
June 2002Thunderstorm WindBrownwood$12,000Several power lines and trees were downed in the city of Brownwood due to strong thunderstorm winds.

Mines and quarries

40 recorded

The Survey's mineral resources record lists 40 workings inside this county. 5 still produce and 35 are closed or unrecorded. Each settlement page carries the workings within five miles of it.

Commodity Workings
Strontium35
Barium-Barite26
Clay3
Limestone, General1
Stone, Crushed/Broken1

The least common of them first, because a county's hundredth gravel pit says nothing its first ten did not.

Where SiteCommodity StatusRecorded
Brownwood QuarryLimestone, GeneralProducerSedimentary
White's Mines Brownwood QuarryStone, Crushed/BrokenProducer
Brownwood Pit Plant Texas Brick CoClayProducer
Texas Brick Co Clay PitClayProducer
Texas Brick Co Crosscut PitClayPast Producer
Alpha Baker MineStrontium, Barium-BaritePast ProducerBarite, Celestite
Baker MineStrontium, Barium-BaritePast Producer
Bettis OccurrenceStrontium, Barium-BariteOccurrenceBarite, Celestite
Bird OccurrenceStrontium, Barium-BariteOccurrenceBarite, Celestite
Boyd MineStrontium, Barium-BaritePast ProducerBarite, Celestite
Burns OccurrenceStrontium, Barium-BariteOccurrenceBarite, Celestite
Burns and Fairchild OccurrenceStrontium, Barium-BariteOccurrenceBarite, Celestite
Caffey and Lacey OccurrenceStrontium, Barium-BariteOccurrenceBarite, Celestite
Davis ProspectStrontium, Barium-BariteOccurrenceBarite, Celestite
Dikes and Chambers DepositStrontium, Barium-BariteOccurrenceBarite, Celestite
Douglas OccurrenceStrontium, Barium-BariteOccurrenceBarite, Celestite
Dunsworth-Dunn-Hughes OccurrenceStrontium, Barium-BariteOccurrenceBarite, Celestite
Evans OccurrenceStrontium, Barium-BariteOccurrenceBarite, Celestite
Faulkner MineStrontium, Barium-BaritePast ProducerBarite, Celestite
Gynum OccurrenceStrontium, Barium-BariteOccurrenceBarite, Celestite
Hightower-Routh OccurrenceStrontium, Barium-BariteOccurrenceBarite, Celestite
Hughes OccurrenceStrontium, Barium-BariteOccurrenceBarite, Celestite
Maner OccurrenceStrontium, Barium-BariteOccurrenceBarite, Celestite
Miller MineStrontium, Barium-BaritePast ProducerBarite, Celestite
Reagan OccurrenceStrontium, Barium-BariteOccurrenceBarite, Celestite
Rodgers OccurrenceStrontium, Barium-BariteOccurrenceBarite, Celestite
Rountree OccurrenceStrontium, Barium-BariteOccurrenceBarite, Celestite
Routh ProspectStrontium, Barium-BariteOccurrenceBarite, Celestite
Stewart OccurrenceStrontium, Barium-BariteOccurrenceBarite, Celestite
Teague Hollow OccurrenceStrontium, Barium-BariteOccurrenceBarite, Celestite
Thomas OccurrenceStrontium, Barium-BariteOccurrenceBarite, Celestite
Baker-Maner-FaulknerStrontiumUnknown
Burns-FairchildStrontiumUnknown
Davis EstateStrontiumUnknown
Elizabeth FaulknerStrontiumUnknown
George BurnsStrontiumUnknown
HightowerStrontiumUnknown
Mary ChambersStrontiumUnknown
Miller-BakerStrontiumProducer
W. L. ThomasStrontiumUnknown

Town by town, in the county's histories

477,955 words

The part of each published history that is about one town: 2 chapters, each reproduced complete.

TownChapter FromLength
EarlyHistoryA History of Early Methodism in Texas [microform] (1924)162,245 words in 11 parts
EarlyTrail Drivers of Texas : Interesting Sketches of Early Cowboys and TheTrail Drivers of Texas : Interesting Sketches of Early Cowboys and Their Experiences on the Range and on the Trail During the Days That Tried Men's Souls -- True Narratives Related by Real Cow-punchers and Men Who Fathered the Cattle Industry in Texas (1925)315,710 words in 20 parts

Every populated place in the county

31

Named settlements recorded in the Geographic Names Information System, each with the topographic sheets covering it. Villages, hamlets and abandoned places alike. Each is shown with the nearest named watercourse or landform and the survey quadrangle it falls on. The 1 place that was also surveyed for fire insurance comes first, with the number of atlases and photographs held for them.

The vanished settlements of Brown County: the places named above that are no longer on the map.

Recorded here

Brownwood, Texas

20 topographic sheets and 10 fire insurance atlases, 1885 to 1960

Everything this county holds

The complete index, with nothing left out. Each of these is a separate record with its own page: a federal survey report, or the case file that argued a property on to the National Register. Both are public domain and reproduced word for word.

Surveyed structures

1 structure

The vanished settlements of Brown County, the places these records name that are no longer on the map.

Provenance

  • Topographic sheets. USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection, county index, measured from the bulk metadata.
  • Fire insurance maps. Library of Congress Sanborn collection, faceted to this county.
  • Photographs. Each place queried individually against the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs search.
  • Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.
  • Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
  • Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.