Fort Brown May Soon See New Life
By Diego Garcia III | Editor of The Brownsville Beacon
If you drive down East Elizabeth Street, eventually it turns into University Drive. If you decide to take a right towards the old Fort Brown Golf Course, past the levee (and the US Border Patrol vehicle usually stationed there), you'll see the decaying remnants of the golf course. You'll see overgrown vegetation, lots and lots of weeds, and decrepit buildings that used to house golf carts and the clubhouse. Further down the old parking lot, you'll see a historical marker, a rusting flagpole, and more overgrown weeds. If you get out of your vehicle and walk along the parking lot, eventually you'll run into an old cannon mounted straight up in the air, for some strange reason. Along the way, you'll see an old mound of earth.
That old earthen mound is the remnants of the original Fort Brown. From the National Park Service's website, this explanation is given.
Recently, our mayor has said he has begun talks with Congressman Filemon Vela and the National Park Service to transfer control of the old golf course to the NPS. They already run two national parks here in Brownsville. They run the Palo Alto and Resaca de la Palma battle sites. Adding the old Fort Brown Earthworks to the two sites the NPS runs makes perfect sense. All of these sites were important during the U.S.-Mexican War.
It can only be a good thing if the Park Service decides to maintain the original site of Fort Brown. It would also be nice if they decided to recreate some of the original structure so people could see what life in the army during the 1840's was like. The park could host reenactments during the anniversaries of the battles that happened. The NPS already puts on a good event at Resaca de la Palma with their memorial illumination event. I can only imagine what wonderful events they, and the city, can plan at the site of the old Fort Brown.
This could also benefit Texas Southmost College. Since newer buildings of Fort Brown still exist on campus, they could offer tours to those who come to see the old fort site.
This can be excellent news for Brownsville and Brownsville's tourism industry. I look forward to seeing what plans the National Parks Service would have for the old fort.
Stay tuned for other articles dealing with Fort Brown. We here at The Brownsville Beacon are working on another story about the Fort Brown cemetery and what exactly happened to all the soldiers who lost their lives during the U.S.-Mexican War.
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| A layout of the original Fort Brown that was located on the grounds of the Fort Brown Golf Course |
If you drive down East Elizabeth Street, eventually it turns into University Drive. If you decide to take a right towards the old Fort Brown Golf Course, past the levee (and the US Border Patrol vehicle usually stationed there), you'll see the decaying remnants of the golf course. You'll see overgrown vegetation, lots and lots of weeds, and decrepit buildings that used to house golf carts and the clubhouse. Further down the old parking lot, you'll see a historical marker, a rusting flagpole, and more overgrown weeds. If you get out of your vehicle and walk along the parking lot, eventually you'll run into an old cannon mounted straight up in the air, for some strange reason. Along the way, you'll see an old mound of earth.
That old earthen mound is the remnants of the original Fort Brown. From the National Park Service's website, this explanation is given.
The Fort Brown site has suffered the effects of natural and man-made activity in the lower Rio Grande Valley. Although Fort Brown remained an active post until after World War II, the original earthworks were abandoned shortly after the war with Mexico.
After a century of gradual erosion, the fort took a direct hit in the 1950s. Much of the structure was bulldozed to build a levee along the Rio Grande. Today a small section of the original walls has survived.
Recently, our mayor has said he has begun talks with Congressman Filemon Vela and the National Park Service to transfer control of the old golf course to the NPS. They already run two national parks here in Brownsville. They run the Palo Alto and Resaca de la Palma battle sites. Adding the old Fort Brown Earthworks to the two sites the NPS runs makes perfect sense. All of these sites were important during the U.S.-Mexican War.
It can only be a good thing if the Park Service decides to maintain the original site of Fort Brown. It would also be nice if they decided to recreate some of the original structure so people could see what life in the army during the 1840's was like. The park could host reenactments during the anniversaries of the battles that happened. The NPS already puts on a good event at Resaca de la Palma with their memorial illumination event. I can only imagine what wonderful events they, and the city, can plan at the site of the old Fort Brown.
This could also benefit Texas Southmost College. Since newer buildings of Fort Brown still exist on campus, they could offer tours to those who come to see the old fort site.
This can be excellent news for Brownsville and Brownsville's tourism industry. I look forward to seeing what plans the National Parks Service would have for the old fort.
Stay tuned for other articles dealing with Fort Brown. We here at The Brownsville Beacon are working on another story about the Fort Brown cemetery and what exactly happened to all the soldiers who lost their lives during the U.S.-Mexican War.
Fort Brown Golf Course was home to many! So much history at our fingertips. Hopefully one day it can be restored
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