Written by Ben Cox – Keep Brownwood Beautiful is wrapping up one project, and preparing for another. A Monarch Way Station has been added to Brownwood, this time in the Brownwood Community Garden.

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The first way station, which provides monarch and other butterflies a place to land, rest, and replenish on their annual migration to Mexico is at the Lehnis Railroad Museum. The way station is filled with local flora  appetizing to the butterflies.

Organizer for Keep Brownwood Beautiful, Cary Perrin, says “no one really knows how the insects find these stations, but it’s like magic. They just do!” Other similar stations are being built across Texas in an effort to counter habitat and vegetation loss due to development.

The second site, or Dublin Drive in north Brownwood, has almost been completely planted, and once the plants grow in it will closely resemble the station at the museum.

Another project designed to truly make Brownwood more beautiful is just getting started, a mural contest. The proposed site for the mural is the restroom building near the splash pad close to East Elementary.

Perrin says the contest “is a way to enhance the splash pad, support the growth of public art projects, and honor local culture.”

Entries for the contest will be accepted from August 1st through the end of that month, with finalists being displayed in city hall before choosing and announcing a winner on September 17th. The mural will then be completed by early October.

The contest is open to residents of Brown County and may include teams or individuals. The winner will receive a $500 prize and have access to up to $500 worth of supplies to complete the mural. The subject of the mural should reflect the artists style, but also honor the culture, history, nature, and other aspects of Brownwood. Call 325-641-0533 for more details on entering the contest.