Brown-Dorsey House
Midland, Midland County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Z. Taylor and Sara Brown moved their family to Midland in 1884. A rancher and merchant, Brown had this house built in 1899. Featuring carved wood details, an art glass window, and three fireplaces connected to a single chimney, the house is believed to be the oldest dwelling in Midland. Following the deaths of Sara Brown in 1922 and Z. Taylor in 1930, the house was inherited by their daughter Sara Brown Dorsey. It remained in the family until 1969. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1965
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Rancher and merchant Z. Taylor Brown brought his family to Midland in 1884 and had this home built in 1899, complete with carved woodwork, an art-glass window, and three fireplaces sharing a single chimney. Believed to be the oldest dwelling in Midland, it stayed in the Brown family for seventy years, passing to daughter Sara Brown Dorsey. It survives as a rare piece of the town's frontier beginnings.
Why it matters
As Midland's oldest home, it embodies the transition of West Texas from open cattle range to settled community in the late nineteenth century.
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Related people
- · Z. Taylor Brown
- · Sara Brown
- · Sara Brown Dorsey
Themes & tags
Nearby & related markers
Dorsey Home
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This Midland residence, built by Z. Taylor Brown, survives as an example of the ornamented craftsmanship of an earlier era, with its decorative trim, art-glass window, two fireplaces, and oak mantels. Recognized as a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark in 1965, the home reflects the settled prosperity that took hold as Midland grew from a raw railroad stop into an established West Texas town.
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First Post Office in Midland
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