Brownwood

Brownwood is a city in central Texas. Founded in 1857, it has some of the common origin stories of Texas towns with railroads and oil booms, and it was considered to be the biggest cotton center west of Fort Worth at the turn of the century. What really spurred its growth though was the establishment of a WWII training camp called Camp Bowie.

Today, Brownwood is known for its Baptist college Howard Payne University and its reservoir with fishing and swimming nearby.

• 🌍 Brown County Museum of History, 209 N Broadway St, ☏ +1 325 641 1926. (updated Nov 2020)
• The Martin & Frances Lehnis Railroad Museum, 700 E Adams St, ☏ +1 325-643-6376. Tu-Sa 10AM-4PM. Provides insight into the history of the railroad in Brownwood, with the Santa Fe and Brownwood-Harvey depots across the way. (updated Nov 2020)

• Riverside Park, 506 Riverside Dr, ☏ +1 325-646-0146. A nice city park with trails and greenspace along the Pecan Bayou, with a somewhat odd presentation of resident cats and even a rooster (supposedly) thrown in. (updated Nov 2020)
• Lake Brownwood State Park, 200 State Hwy Park Rd 15, ☏ +1 325-784-5223. This is Brownwood's main venue for recreation. Not bad. There's plenty of fishing, waterskiing, swimming opportunity available, even if the water might be a tad murky. You can visit alternate parts around the lake for free if you don't want to pay the state park fee. $5 (over 12). (updated Nov 2020)

Underwood's Cafeteria, 402 W Commerce St. (updated Feb 2018)

Staying in a cabin or tent at Lake Brownwood State Park would be fun. Otherwise, there are plenty of hotels in town.

• Comfort Inn Early Brownwood, 204 Early Blvd, Early. Indoor pool. Tel: +1 325-641-3400.