Parks of Brownwood

Your thoughts of being at one of Brownwood's city parks may bring memories of baseball, swing sets and slides, climbing trees or even a swimming pool.

"I remember Movies in the Park,"  says Patti Clements Jordan.  "No, I'm not talking about a concert in Central Park, NYC, but Movie Night at Coggin Park. On those hot, summer nights, in the early 1950s, the Parks Department hung a large sheet between two trees at Coggin Park and showed movies and cartoons. Everyone brought their lawn chairs or blankets, some tea or lemonade and simply enjoyed the evening."

Coggin Park

This lovely park, on the banks of the Pecan Bayou on the Ft. Worth Highway, is home to the annual Fourth of July Festival for the city. Pecan trees, playgrounds, picnic sites with grills for cooking and a family of ducks welcome visitors to this park. Brandon and Sierra Tharp are the children of Steven and Kim Tharp of Richand Springs, Texas.
photo by R. Levesque 

Alcorn Park

Alcorn Park, on the corner of Fourth Street and Indian Creek near Woodland Heights Elementary, was named for Bill Alcorn. Alcorn was a former Brownwood resident and one-time Attorney General for Texas. The park has lighted tennis courts, soccer practice fields and a playground and picnic tables under large shade trees.
photo by R. Levesque

Cecil Holman Park

Named for one of Brownwood's best-loved citizens, Cecil Holman park is on the extension of North Austin Avenue, just across from the Hardin School building. Cecil Holman was an undertaker and grocery store owner. He was known not only for his generosity and concern for citizens in the black community near his business, but also for the entire city of Brownwood. Cecil was a man with a happy spirit who loved to joke and tease, but he was serious when the occasion demanded. The park named in his honor has a playground, picnic tables and areas for softball and soccer. It is the home of the Bennie Houston Community Center and Swimming Pool and is the site for Brownwood's annual Juneteeenth celebration.

Festival Park

This wooded park, near Gordon Wood Stadium, formally hosted the Pecan Valley Arts Festival (now the Depot Art Festival). Its shady area and tree-lined trails are great for picnicking, hiking and bike rides.

photo by R. Levesque

Center Avenue Park

The newest park in Downtown Brownwood opened the fall of 2003, located at the corner of Baker and Center Avenue. The park is used for a variety of community events, such as, an outdoor music venue and gathering place for downtown residents. Local artist, Don Morelock, was commissioned to provide the artwork for the reflecting wall, "Brownwood Coming into the Age of the Railroad". photo contributed by Kristi Castillo

A group of 40 men purchased the land and founded the Brownwood Lake Club between 1890 and 1902 and created the present lake. The group built a small clubhouse, a boathouse, duck blinds and fishing boats. They were referred to as the Brownwood Fishing and Hunting Club. A large two-story clubhouse was erected. It was colonial style with columns in the front. Members traveled by horse and buggy to picnic and camp out nights and weekends.

A small group of golfers were members of the Club but had to play golf on courses in other towns. This group changed the club to a golf club in 1920. Seventy-five members signed on and constructed a nine-hole golf course. A new clubhouse was built in front of the old building, which was not removed. Horses and mules pulled the gang mowers to maintain the fairways. Later additional land was acquired to extend the golf course to 18 holes.

When Camp Bowie was constructed south of Brownwood in late 1940, 1941 and 1942, the Army took over the property as a part of their recreational program. Some members who signed by a certain time continued to use the facilities. The Army assigned NCOs to operate the pro shop and maintain the course and clubhouse using Army personnel for manpower.

A prisoner of war camp was built after 1942 just east of the lake dam. Prisoners who wanted to get out of confinement were permitted to help maintain the course under guards until 1945. There was a guard tower about 50 or 60 feet tall just below the dam, near the chalk cliff. The GIs assigned to guard duty would warm up their machine guns in the early mornings shooting at ducks and objects in the lake. This also reminded the prisoners that these guards were there for a purpose. It did shake up some early-bird golfers at times.

The Army installed the back nine and built a water tank on the mountaintop above #7. Lines from this tank watered the greens on this back nine. More irrigation was installed after 1945 and fairways were widened, irrigated and fertilized. A new clubhouse, pro shop, practice range and practice putting green were built. Old fences and dead trees were removed, other trees were thinned out, new trees planted and the maintenance began mowing some of the rough. A swimming pool, tennis courts, golf cart sheds for members and rental golf carts were added.

The first greens were very flat and made of sand. There were heavy smoothers and heavy rollers beside each green. There were only one or two sand traps. The next greens were more elevated and made up of cottonseed hulls. When they were watered and then dried, they were a beautiful snow white from the cotton lint that remained on the crushed hulls. The first grass greens were Bermuda followed by improved Bermuda and rye in the winter.

The greens have seen many grass changes and now are an improved bentgrass. At first the greens received the only watering, mowing and fertilizing. Now all 18 holes and the large practice putting green receive the full treatment. Several well-placed sand traps have improved the character of the course. Brownwood Country Club Golf Course has always been known for its beautiful architecture and challenging layout.

The Club also sponsors a ladies golf association that is very active. Howard Payne University and the Brownwood Independent School District golf teams use these facilities to practice and conduct tournaments. The men and ladies golf associations schedule many golf tournaments and social events.

Since 1945, two clubhouses have burned. The most recent building was constructed in the 1980s. It is a large brick structure, with a beautiful dining room and private bar between that and the golfers' dressing and shower rooms. There are several rooms set aside for meetings and private parties. The patio overlooks the lake. Luncheon clubs both regional and local utilize these facilities.

    John Arthur Thomason, retired public accountant and former caddy
    from 1925-1933 and active member for many years until 1990s.

Photo by R. Levesque

*For more information about golf courses in our area, see The Weather Channel.

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