The Brown County Museum of History recently received an interesting donation dating back to 1923.  The Old Gray Mare Band from Brownwood was connected to the Brownwood Post of the American Legion in the fall of 1922 when it accompanied the Brownwood delegation of war veterans to Waco for the annual meeting of the State American Legion.

The original director, Captain Richard Wright Armstrong, was the son of Brownwood’s Dr. Mollie Armstrong who was the first woman optometrist in Texas.

The band was made up of the members of the 142nd Infantry, Texas National Guard and was known as 142nd Infantry Band before it was known for the Old Gray Mare Band which actually had a gray mare.  The mare, Sara, participated in parades and was ridden by Miss Ruby Latham.

Brown County Museum officials state their appreciation of this wonderful donation of a 1923 photo of the band in San Antonio, Texas by Carole Bravo now living in Louisiana.