B. T. Brown House
Breckenridge, Stephens County, Texas
Marker Inscription
One of the oldest structures in Breckenridge, this ranch house was erected by Benjamin Tarver Brown (1831-1905), a Confederate Army Captain who came to Stephens County in 1866. He built this house in 1876, the year Breckenridge was founded as county seat. Limestone blocks were cut nearby for the 18-inch thick walls, and other building materials were hauled by wagon from Fort Worth. The structure was restored by Mr. and Mrs. H.C. Kelley, who purchased it in 1941.
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Benjamin Tarver Brown, a former Confederate captain, came to Stephens County in 1866 and, in 1876—the year Breckenridge was founded as the county seat—raised this limestone ranch house. Its 18-inch walls were cut from stone quarried nearby, while other materials were hauled by wagon all the way from Fort Worth. One of the oldest buildings in town, it was later restored by owners who bought it in 1941.
Why it matters
The house marks the postwar settlement of West Texas ranch country, when former Confederates and others pushed the cattle frontier westward.
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Related people
- · Benjamin Tarver Brown
Themes & tags
Nearby & related markers
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