Fort Brown

Fort Brown is a military post and historic district in Brownsville along the Rio Grande with preserved earthworks and stone buildings from the 1800s. The site includes officer quarters, barracks, guard facilities, and a former hospital that now house Texas Southmost College offices.

Established in 1846 during the Mexican-American War, the post was named after Major Jacob Brown who died in battle there. Most of the stone structures visitors see today were built in the years following the war, between 1868 and 1870.

The structures here show how soldiers lived in the 1800s, with guard areas and officer quarters that still stand today. Walking through these buildings gives a sense of daily military life from that era.

The site is straightforward to explore on foot since the main buildings are grouped together and clearly marked. Wear comfortable shoes as you will walk quite a bit to see both the earthworks and all the structures spread across the grounds.

On April 20, 1915, a military aircraft stationed here became the first plane in history to come under hostile fire. This encounter marked a turning point in early aviation and the fort's role in military technology.