Written by Clay Riley – In November of 1929, a group of Brownwood businessmen announced plans to build a new 12-story hotel. It was to be Brownwood’s first skyscraper. Preliminary plans called for a 12-story fireproof structure, modern in every way, including radios in every room.
In January of 1930, a contract was awarded to J.O. Everett & Co., building contractors of Dallas, to build the Hotel Brownwood, for total bids approaching $375, 000.00. Construction was to start as soon as a structure on the site was disposed of. Wyatt C. Hendrick of Ft. Worth headed the Hotel Brownwood Inc., and was the architect.
In February, the first shovelful of earth was turned for the excavation of the basement for the 12-story Hotel Brownwood. Excitement was growing in the city. By July of that year, a total of seven floors had been completed with a completion goal for November of that year. Residents were amazed at the height of the structure, yet unfinished.
In November of that same year, all of the floors were complete with a Grand Ballroom on the 12th floor. The hotel was completed, rooms furnished, coffee shop, beauty shop and Barber shop were ready to open.
On November 21, 1930, the Hotel Brownwood was officially open for business that Friday night, with a Grand Opening & Dance, with admittance of only $3.50. The hotel office space was quickly leased with local organizations such as the Kiwanis Club, Lions Club and the Rotary Club all had listings in the 1931 Brownwood City Directory with the Brownwood Hotel as their addresses. The hotel address was 307 E. Baker, with a barber shop at 311 E. Baker and a Coffee Shop at 204 Fisk.
On December 11th of 1931, the Coggin Girls gave a banquet for the Coggin Boy’s Football Team at the hotel. It was “the place” for important civic, school and organizational banquets. Regional Associations, such as the West Texas Chamber of Commerce held their annual meeting and banquet there. State Political Conventions and awards banquets were quickly booked in the roomy and modern meeting rooms and halls. Through the 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, and into the 1960s, the hotel was the destination when visiting Brownwood.
By the mid-1960s, it was known as the Browntowner Motor Inn and nearing its end as a profitable hotel. In the late 1960s, like all things, it began to age and became a less desirable place for lodging and functions.
In December of 1968, it was announced that it had been purchased by the Sid W. Richardson Foundation as a gift to Howard Payne College for male student housing. The 12-story 180 room Brownwood landmark hotel, five blocks from Howard Payne, was converted to a men’s dorm within a few months. The old hotel continued to be “Sid Richardson Hall”, dorm for Howard Payne students until 1986.
In the Fall of 1986 was a dormitory switch out, beginning with the closing of Sid Richardson Hall, and the male students were moved to Jennings Hall, with the women previously residing in Jennings Hall had moved to Veda Hodge Hall.
After that, the old hotel sat abandoned, deteriorating and at a loss of a useful purpose, as it stands today. Occasionally over the years, rumors were adrift of “a buyer was going to purchase the old hotel and restore it to its former elegance.” Either the negotiations fell through, or asbestos and lead paint abatement proved too costly for renovation. Many residents would love to see it restored and designated as a historic building, as other cities have done with similar historic hotels in their cities.
On a recent PVGS Facebook page about this beautiful old structure, many people shared their memories of theirs and their parents going there for High School Proms, nightly dances in the Ball Room with Big Band era music, World War II soldiers and visitors staying there, young couples getting married and spending their honeymoons in that elegant old hotel.
Only time will reveal the fate of that beautiful old building. Like all things abandoned, they tend to decay and deteriorate. We wish a better end for that grand old lady in distress.
Photos – Brownwood Public Library, Local History & Genealogy Branch
This and many other stories are available at the Brownwood Public Library – Genealogy & Local History Branch at 213 S. Broadway.
Volunteers from the Pecan Valley Genealogical Society are there to assist you in your family history research.
Clay Riley is a local historian and retired Aerospace Engineer that has been involved in the Historical and Genealogical Community of Brown County for over 20 years.
Should you have a comment, or a question that he may be able to answer in future columns, he can be reached at; pvgsbwd@gmail.com.
