Written by Amanda Coers – The Brown County Museum of History will be hosting a Family Fun Day on Saturday, January 21st from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Special guest Brown County Sheriff Vance Hill will be present to talk about the importance of internet safety. Sheriff Hill will share tips for parents and kids about how to stay safe online. The sheriff will also share his knowledge of fingerprinting. Children attending will have the opportunity to explore fingertips as well as capture their own to put on an emergency ID card they’ll create during the event.

The museum’s focus for this month is the role the Sheriff’s Department has played in keeping our community safe for over 150 years.

The event begins at 11 a.m. with Sheriff Hill inside the Old Jail and continues afterward at the main building until 2 pm. There will be a $5 admission per child (includes all activities and the Kid’s Zone). Adults/Parents can enter for a $3 admission (includes all exhibits and the Old Jail). Seniors-Military-Veterans can enjoy a $2 admission reduced rate.

If you have any questions, contact Wanda Furgason at 325-642-5072.

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The Brown County Museum of History works to educate the public through exhibition and interpretation of artifacts. The main library building is the Educational Center of Brown County Museum of History and located across the street from the Brown County Jail at 209 North Broadway.  The rest of the museum is located in the old four story Brown County Jail, built in 1902, and located at 212 North Broadway across the street from the Courthouse in downtown Brownwood.

From their site: In 1963, while still serving as the County jail, the building received a Texas historical marker. The distinctive sandstone structure was in need of repair and renovation, but the building was determined to be structurally sound. Today, the old Brown County jail building is one of the most impressive structures in West-Central Texas, conveying fortress like strength and romantic medieval military tradition.

When the new county jail was built and finished on June 29, 1981, the Brown County Historical Commission began to take steps to preserve the building as a site for a museum of local history. A board of directors was appointed by the Commission, meeting initially in July 1982. It took another year for the board to get the jail cleaned up and ready to open as a museum.

The old jail has been placed on the National Registry of Historic Places and has been designated as a Historic Landmark by the State of Texas. A new Texas Historical marker was added to the building in 2003 on the 100th anniversary of the jail.

Hours of operation:

• Thursday-Friday: 10:00 am to 2:00 pm
• Saturdays: 10:00 am to 4:00 pm

Special tours are available – Phone: 325-641-1926