Historic Brownsville Museum
Depot Area Tour

The Historic Brownsville Museum is an excellent place to start a tour of Brownsville's Orginal Townsite. Within the museum itself a variety of exhibits interpret events from Brownsville's colorful past. An 1887 Baldwin railroad steam Engine completely restored is in its own building. The area walking tour includes the city cemetery and neaby Washington Park.

Southern Pacific Depot
601-641 E. Madison (NR,RTHL) 1928-1929 Open: Tuesday through Saturday, 10:00AM to 4:30PM.; Sunday, 2:00PM to 5:00PM. Spanish Colonial Revival in style, this structure features caststone ornamentation at the major entrances.

City Cemetery
201 - 401 E. Madison (RTHL). Opened in the late 1850's, contains many above ground crypts, ornate monuments, decorative iron work fesces, and epitaphs which trace vents from Brownsville's historic past.

Tijerina Residence
333 E. Adams (HABS,RTHL) 1912. This residence is noteworthy for its brick detailing and the unusual buttresses, designed by Tomas Tijerina to help the house withstand hurricanes.

Cisneros Residence
451 E. Adams (RTHL) 1926. Built for Jose Cisneros by Jose Colunga, this hous is a striking combination of Spanish Colonial Revival style and neoclassical elements.

Cavazos / Truss Residence
608 E. Adams (RTHL) 1905. This L-shaped house has notable decorative trim.


Downtown
Area Tour


Visitors to the Stillman Museum and Downtown Brownsville are advised to make use of nearby public parking lots on East Adams Street and East 14th Street. Metered parking on East Washington Street is sometimes available, although opportunities disappear quickly when shoppers compete for open parking spaces. After your visit to the museum take a stroll along East Elizabeth Street, our main downtown shopping street, as you get to know this bustling retail section of Brownsville.


Stillman House Museum
1305 E. Washington (NR) 1850. Operated by The Brownsville Historical Association. Open: 10:00AM to noon and 2:00PM to 5:00PM weekdays; 3:00PM to 5:00PM Sundays; closed Saturdays. Built for Henry Miller, this brick greek Revival structure was reputedly occupied by Brownsville's founder Charles Stillman and his family.

The Gem
400 E. 13th (Roser Custom Service) (NR) 1848. The oldest building in Brownsville. Judge Hancock delivered one of his Civil War speeches from the balcony of this structure. NOTE: The Neale Home may be older but it was built elsewhere and later moved into the City.

Webb Drug Store
409 E. 13th Street (P) 1852. John Webb founded this store at this location. He also ran a stagecoach line from the Webb and Miller Hotel, then located on E. Elizabeth Street.

Yturria Bank Building
1255 E. Elizabeth (RTHL) 1850. Built for Francisco Yturria, an important entrepreneur, merchant and rancher in early Brownsville.

San Roman Building
1245 E. Elizabeth (RTHL) 1850. This commercial structure was built for Don Jose Roman, a wealthy merchant. San Roman and John Young challenged the steamboat monopoly of M. Kennedy & Co. on the Rio Grande, only to become partners in that firm.

U.S. Federal Building
1001 E. Elizabeth (P) 1931. Post Office / Federal Courthouse. This four-story structure is in the Second Renaissance Revival style. The Federal Court House moved in 2000. City offices and City Commission meetings are held here since 2004.

Capitol Theatre
1000 E. Levee (P) 1928. This Spanish Colonial Revival structure appropriately features the masks of comedy and tragedy at the top of the front facade.


Fort Brown
Area Tour

A visit to Fort Brown is always a special treat. Originally named Fort Texas or sometimes Fort Taylor, the Fort was renamed for the commander of the earthworks garrison, Major Jocob Brown, killed defending this post in 1846. The military reservation was established on high ground in 1848 after the orginal earthworks was abandoned due to flooding. The historic brick structures found here today date from 1868 - 1869 after Captain W.A. Wainwright was sent to rebuild the Fort which had been destroyed by a hurricane in 1867. Texas Southmost College now administers and ccupies this site. In addition the University of Texas at Brownsville is a part of this campus under a special partnership agreement. The entire campus benefits from beautiful landscaping. Patterned sidewalks extend to all part of the college grounds.



Post Hospital
(Gorgas Hall) (NTHL) 1868.


Post Hospital Annex
(Champion Hall) 1868.

Post Morgue & Linen Storage
(Mailroom) (RTHL)1868 - 1872. These two buildings were joined together in the 1930s.

Post Chapel
(Building Number Two) 1868. Rebuilt at this location in 1992.

Post Commissary
(Art Building) (RTHL) 1904.

Cavalry Building
(Classrooms, offices) (RTHL) 1868.

Neale Home
230 Neale Drive (Brownsville Art League and Museum) (RTHL) 1848. Built for William Neale, this structure is believed to be the City's oldest frame house.


Palm Boulevard
Area Tour

Near the intersection of Palm Boulevard and Elizabeth Street one encounters several 20th century structures of distinction, including the Manatou Residence, a rare example of Prairie style architecture in South Texas

Old High School
West Elizabeth and Palm Boulevard, 1916. The Central Intermediate School now occupies these two historic structures: 1916 High School at Palm & W. Elizabeth and the 1928 High School at mid-block. The Clearwater School (1922) is located at the other end of the block.

Church of The Advent
104 W. Elizabeth (Episcopal Church) (P) 1926. A graceful Spanish Colonial Revival Structure.

First Presbyterian Church
435 Palm Blvd. (RTHL) 1927. An excellent example of the Late Gothic Revival Style

Manatou Residence
5 E. Elizabeth (NR) 1924. A rare example of Prairie School acchitecture in South Texas, designed by Edward Guy Holliday for Enrique Manatou.


Fifth Street
Area Tour

Several notable historic homes are found on this street or nearby. Fifth Street is the last of the two-way streets within the Original Townsite; from Sixth Street onwards the traffic flows on one-way streets.

Celaya / Creager Residence
441 E. Washington (NR) 1912. This Classical Revival structure features massive Greek columns at the front entrance.

Fernandez / Bollack Residence
405 E. Washington (P) 1912. This large house was built for Mrs. Juanita Champion Fernandez after the deather of her husband, Jose Fernandez. A native of Spain, Fernandez was a prosperous Brownsville entrepreneur whose holdings included large coffee plantations near Varacruz, Mexico

Kowalski / Dennett Residence
507 E. Elizabeth (RTHL) 1893. Build for Louis and Amelia Kowalski, this Victorian residence was designed by Brownsville architect S.W. Brooks.

Sacred Heart Church
612 E. Elizabeth (P) 1912. This Gothic Revival structure features twin towers that flank the central entrance on E. Elizabeth Street. Note the elaborate capitals on top of the Corinthian stone columns at the entrance gallery.

Rock / Gomez Residence
500 E. Levee (P) 1900. A fine example of Spanish Colonial residential architecture.


Market Square
Area Tour

Built in 1850 - 1852, Brownsville's City Hall once served as an open air marketplace. The historic buildings at Market Square feature decorative cornices, elaborate brick detailing, and upper level balconies.

City Hall
655 E. 12th. (Old Market Place) (RTHL) 1850 - 1852. In addition to being the center of city government, this structure is the site of the City's original Marketplace / Market Square. As reported by Lieutenant W.H. Chatfield in the "Twin Cities of the Border." "All articles of marketing brought into the City must first be presented in the Market: it is unlawful to sell them in the streets during Market hours."

Jose Fernandez Building
1123 E. Washington (P) 1882. One of the oldest buildings at Market Square, this structure has a central atrium that used to beature an open-air courtyard. The second story doors facing City hall opened on to a covered wooden porch, a common feature of Brownsville's architecture of that era.

Jose Fernaneez Y Hermano Store
1200 - 1220 E. Adams (La Villa de Llanes Store) (P) 1883 - 1884. This corner commercial building was designed with spacious living quarters on the second story.

City Hall Annex
1150 E. Adams (El Tapiz) (P) 1906 - 1914. In 1987 this three-story Victorian brick structure was restored by the City of Brownsville.

V. Fernandez Complex
1106 E. Adams (San Fernando Building) (P) 1887- 1880. Reminiscent of the architecture of the New Orleans French Quarter.

M. Fernandez Hide Yard
1101-21 E. Adams (El Almacen) (NR) 1880 - 1894. This late 19th century brick structure originally housed a bone and hide business and a general merchandise store.

Central Fire Station
1000 E. Adams (P) 1928. Spanish Colonial Revival in style, this structure was designed by Ben Clark. Features include cast stone door surrounds, spiral columns, and red clay roof tiles.


County Courthouse
Area Tour

The Old Cameron County Courthouse on E. Madison Street is the starting point of this walking tour. Visitors may park along E. Monroe Street to the rear of the Courthouse, or at either of the side street locations.

Old Cameron County Courthouse (1912)
1150 E. Madison (NR) 1912. This Classical Revival structure of brick and terra cotta, served as the County Courthouse until 1979. Sullivanesque detail in plaster and the stained glass dome (skylight) of the interior are well worth your inspection.

Old County Jail (1913)
1201 E. Van Buren Street (NR) 1913. This structure was designed by Atlee B. Ayres who designed the county Courthouse. Renovated in 1992, this structure now serves as office space for two local law firms.

El Globo Chiquito
1059 E. Monroe (Laiseca Store) (HABS, P) 1887. This tiny wood-frame building is distinguished by its decorative fascia and double-gable roofline.

Field / Pacheco Complex
1049 E. Monroe (HABS, P) 1894. Built for Henry M. Field, who sold the complex to Andres Pacheco in 1914.

Cross / Dosal Residence
911 E. Madison (P) 1906. This wood frame cottage features jig-sawn brackets and decorative elements at the front gallery or porch.

La Madrillena (Ortiz Grocery Store)
1002 E. Madison (NR, RTHL, HABS) 1892. Originally built for use as a grocery store, this restored site now serves as a lawyer's office.

Old Jail (1882)
1154 E. Madison (P) 1882 - 1883. Built to accommodate accused prisoners on trial at the adjacent County Courthouses. Now full of lawyers! Offices of course, after investment in restoration using jail cells as offices!

Old Cameron County Courthouse (1882)
1131 E. Jefferson (RTHL) 1882 - 1883. Designed by J.N. Preston & Son of San Antonio and built by S.W. Brooks. Acquired by Masonic Lodge No. 81 in 1913.

Immaculate Conception Cathedral
1218 E. Jefferson (NR) 1854 - 1894. Build by French missionaries of the Order of Oblates of Mary Immaculate, this Gothic brick structure now serves as a Cathedral for the Catholic Diocese of Brownsville. Come see the first Cathedral in Texas.


St. Charles Street
Area Tour

Charles Stillman named this street for himself when George Lyons platted Brownsville's Original Townsite. This historic area features many of Brownsville's finest old homes

Alonso Building
510-14 E. St. Charles (Los Dos Camones) (P) 1877 - 1890. Similar to structures build in the New Orleans French Quarter of this era. Note the wrought-iron details at the upper level porch.

Russell / Cocke Residence
602 E. St. Charles (P) 1872. Late Greek Revival in style, this house features a generous front gallery with decorative brackets employed at the wooden columns.

S.W. Brooks Residence
623 E. St. Charles (Big Brothers/Big Sisters of the Rio Grande Valley) (NR) 1888. Designed by Mr. Brooks in the stick-shingle style for his own use. Recently moved in 1987 as part of a collaborative effort with the City of Brownsville.

M. Hansen Residence
647 E. St. Charles (P) 1876 - 1889. A rare example of the Gothic Revival style in Brownsville, executed in woodframe construction.

A. Celaya Residence
500-504 E. St Francis (NR) 1904. Now used for offices, this Victorian structure incorporates two wooden porches with jib-sawn elements in its design.

Browne / Wagner Residence
245 E. St. Charles (NR) 1894. A two-story brick structure with molded brick details, this structure was designed and built by S.W. Brooks for Josephone Glaevcke Browne.
1452 E. Madison (P) 1906. Now known as the Carlotta Petrina Museum, this Spanish-Colonial structure previously served as a warehouse, bakery, and as a hotel.


East Madison Street
Area Tour

The east end of Madison Street retains an impressive collection of Spanish Colonial style buildings. Notable Queen Anne style homes are also present here. You can usually find parking spaces available along the street itself, so get out and enjoy your walking tour.

El Globo Nuevo
1502 E. Madison (HABS,P) 1897. An excellent example of Spanish Colonial Victorian commercial architecture.

M.H. Cross Building
1452 E. Madison (P) 1906. Now known as the Carlotta Petrina Museum, this Spanish-Colonial structure previously served as a wharehouse, bakery, and as a hotel.

Casimero Tamayo Store
1454 E. Monroe (P) 1878. A Spanish Colonial style corner store with corbeled brick cornice and a flat roof hidden by parapet walls.

Webb / Martinez Residence
1324 E. Madison (RTHL) 1911 - 1913. This Greek Revival style house features an L-shape gallery

La Nueva Libertad
1301-11 E. Madison (Andres Cueto Building) (NR) 1893. A two-story commercial building and residence.

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Key:(NR) National Register of Historic Places
(RTHL) Recorded Texas Historic Landmark
(P) Primary Local Site - Brownsville Heritage Plan
(HABS) Historic American Building Survey

NOTE: Most, if not all of the residences listed are privately owned. Please respect private property and restrict your viewing of these sites to locations on the (publicly owned) sidewalk.

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