Brownwood History & Feels Like Home

BROWNWOOD TEXAS
Tuesday May 30, 2000
Old building spurs new controversy; Brownwood's plans for post office stalled
By Bill Hanna
Fort worth Star-Telegram Staff Writer

Don't ask Brownwood Mayor Bert Massey about the importance of historic
preservation. Given his choice of saving the 50-plus-year-old Montgomery Ward building or tearing it down for a new downtown post office, Massey wouldn't think twice.
"We don't care whether the building is saved or not,” the mayor said. "If they can't make the building part of the post office's plans, the building ought to come down, in our opinion."
But this month, the Postal Service backed off using the site and has begun looking for another downtown location.
That move has set off a war of words in this city of 20,000, about 120 miles
southwest of Fort Worth. Even Gordon Wood, Brownwood's legendary retired high school football coach, ventured into the fray, criticizing two locals who opposed demolition, as well as Larry Oaks, the executive director of the TexasHistorical Commission, for sticking his nose into Brownwood's business.
"It is ludicrous to me to believe that one man, single- handedly could stop the
construction of a beautiful new post office," Wood said in a letter to the editor in
the `Brownwood Bulletin' newspaper.
"... Mr. Oaks is a political appointee who came here from Pennsylvania to head
the [commission]," said the former coach, who led the Brownwood High Lions to seven state titles. "How could he possibly make such a unilateral decision?"
Oaks, who toured the 3- story, glazed terra cotta Montgomery Ward building
Wednesday with Massey, said he has been to Brownwood several times and calls the attacks a misunderstanding.
"Because the post office spent a year going into this scenario of tearing
everything down without mentioning anything to us, we're at a tremendous
disadvantage," Oaks said in an interview from Austin. "That's all people in town
have heard."
Oaks contends that Postal Service officials reneged on a promise in March to
conduct a feasibility study on using the site. Moreover, he said it did not follow
the 1966 National Historic Preservation Act, which instructs agencies to "avoid
sites with historic buildings or to plan on their reuse."
McKinney Boyd, a Postal Service spokesman, disputes Oaks' assertions.
The Postal Service followed the law, informed the historical commission about the site early in the project and has conducted a feasibility study, Boyd said.
Because of some local opposition to converting the site, the Postal Service is
looking at other downtown sites, which could take 90 to 120 days, Boyd said.
Oaks called the Montgomery Ward structure "one of the finer buildings
in Brownwood" and said it is eligible for the National Register because it is
more than 50 years old, has a nice architectural design and contributes to the streetscape.
It has "exceptional decorative treatment" on the front, including elaborate
cornices, fruit-and-flower-filled urns on the roofline and a third-floor depiction of
a goddess holding a laurel wreath.
"The pattern was used around the country," Oaks said, adding, "There are not a
lot of them left."
Steve Harris, who co-owns a restaurant across the street from the old building,
has been castigated by local leaders for espousing historic preservation. Harris
said he filed a police report after receiving what he perceived as a threat. And
some angry residents have promised to boycott his eatery, Steve's Market and
Deli, he said.
"I think the attitude of city leaders is: `Do not say anything. If you do, we will boycott you and we will run you out of town,' " said Harris, 39.
"But I think the majority of the community is willing to look at other locations to
save the building. We just don't have the leadership that has the mentality to
preserve things."
Groner Pitts, a retired undertaker famous for his pranks and known as "Mr.
Brownwood" because of his civic involvement, asserted that "99.9 percent" of
residents would like to see the Montgomery Ward building torn down.
"How silly can those Historical Commission folks get?" asked Pitts, 75. "They're just wasting the taxpayers' money. We're going to get it torn down. It may take a little longer, but we will."
Regardless of what happens on the post office issue, Oaks said Brownwood
has a tremendous opportunity to save its historic downtown structures.
"What comes to mind is downtown Galveston, Oaks said. "I would venture to say there are 80 to 85 buildings from the late 19th century and early 20th century.
We certainly don't want to be spoilers; these buildings are ripe for a rebirth."
Massey said Brownwood doesn't have anyone like Fort Worth's wealthy Bass
brothers or an economic base like some other cities to rehabilitate all of its old
buildings.
"The Montgomery Ward's building has an interesting facade, a lot of pine floors
and pressed-tin ceilings," Massey said. "It could be preserved; it would be nice,
but there's not a whole lot of demand for it in Brownwood, Texas."
The mayor said he doesn't oppose historic preservation in principle.
"We're not going to turn Brownwood into Granbury," Massey said. "We're not going to turn Brownwood into Fredericksburg. We're going to do what's appropriate for here."
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AUSTIN CHRONICLE
Day Trips
BY GERALD E. MCLEOD

July 7, 2000: The old Montgomery Wards building in Brownwood is
about as unlikely a center of controversy as any building could be. Not particularly
attractive or historically significant, it symbolizes the consequences of unchecked
urban renewal that is changing the look and feel of small towns around the state.
At issue is the U.S. Postal Service's consideration of expanding their offices across
the street into the block that includes the building and several other remnants of a
once-thriving business district. "Nobody ever drove a hundred miles to see a new
post office," says Steve Harris, a local restaurateur and champion for the
50-plus-year-old building.

Unfortunately, it has been a number of years since anyone drove very far to visit
downtown Brownwood. Encompassing an area about five blocks wide and 10
blocks long, what was once the central business district is now filled with empty
buildings that greatly outnumber the ones that attract clientele. Most of the
businesses have moved to the strip malls along Highway 67.

It wasn't always so.

Brownwood has seen its share of booms since it was founded in 1858 as the county
seat. The town became the largest cotton-buying center west of Fort Worth in 1920.
During the oil boom of the 1920s it was an industrial center. The population swelled
to more than 50,000 during World War II. By 1950, the population had dropped to
20,000. Current estimates put the number of citizens around 17,000 and declining.

With a collection of architecture that spans more than 140 years, the city could
capitalize on this wealth instead of letting it be destroyed. Towering above the
eclectic collection of buildings is the once-grand Brownwood Hotel, an
early-20th-century luxury hotel that now stands vacant.

The owner of the old hotel, Virginia businessman and former Brownwood resident
Mitchell Phelps, was recently fined more than $13,000 after the 11-story building
was cited for numerous safety violations. Phelps is also the owner of 60% of the
block that includes the Montgomery Wards building.

A war of words began to heat up when the State Historical Commission's executive
director, Larry Oaks, came to town and took the position that the building should be
saved. This angered the mayor, half the citizens, and even Gordon Wood,
Brownwood's legendary high school football coach who wrote an angry letter to the
Brownwood Bulletin newspaper about outsiders sticking their noses in the town's
business.

According to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Oaks called the building "one of the
finer buildings in Brownwood." The three-story structure has a faux block exterior
capped by an ornate roof line with decorative urns filled with cement flowers and
fruit. Still structurally sound, inside the floors are thick pine with pressed tin
ceilings. Probably the most impressive part of the building is a depiction of a
goddess holding a torch and standing on top of a globe on the front façade. "The
pattern was used around the country," Oaks told the Star-Telegram. "There are not
a lot of them left."

Harris, whose restaurant is around the corner from the buildings on Center Street,
worries that the destruction will continue. "We've already lost 20 buildings in the
downtown area," he says, "Where will it stop?" For his troubles, Harris has
received a death threat and a boycott of his business. He says he's lost a few
customers and gained a few new ones because of the controversy.

Celinda Emison, who has covered the story for the Bulletin, says the town is split
about 50-50 on saving the old store fronts. "The amazing thing is that it seems to be
the young people and the newer residents who are in favor of saving the buildings,"
she says.

"We're not going to turn Brownwood into another Fredericksburg," the mayor, Burt
Massey, was quoted as saying. This is the same man who, after more than 20 years
on the council, concluded a letter to Harris saying, "For many years the council and
I have wanted to look at the future of our city, but have been unable to find the time
to do so."

In the meantime, the Postal Service has backed away from the Montgomery Wards
building because of the controversy. Not surprisingly, they're not divulging what
other sites they're considering.

"It's all small-town politics," Harris says with an exasperated sigh. While the
decision on the location for the new post office should be made locally, the rest of us
can let the town know what we consider to be acceptable behavior. Once historic
neighborhoods are demolished, they're lost forever and all Texans are the poorer for
the loss.

Steve's Market and Deli is at 110 E. Chandler off of Center Avenue in a red brick
building that once housed a family grocery store. Texas Monthly recognized the
cafe as one of the best small-town eateries in the state in the March 1999 issue.
They serve a nice mix of salads and sandwiches Tuesday-Saturday, 11am-3pm.
A special dinner is served Friday 7pm-9pm by reservation, 915/646-5576.

While it is not a Fredericksburg, Brownwood does have a few interesting sites. The
Brown County Museum across the street from the county courthouse opens on
Wednesday and Saturday afternoons in the old castlelike jail and has a neat
collection of historical items.

The town is also home of Howard Payne University and the Douglas MacArthur
Academy of Freedom at Austin Avenue and Coggin Street, with its unique collection
of MacArthur personal souvenirs and historical items. To enjoy the outdoors, visit
Lake Brownwood State Park northwest of town. For area information, stop by the
chamber of commerce in the beautifully renovated railroad depot at 600 Depot St.,
915/646-9535 or www.brownwoodchamber.org.
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Outside Media Exposes Brownwood & Local Discussions and then News Stories Like those found below are developed along with the “Feels Like Home” Marketing
Campaign ! The Brownwood Human Rights Committee was created in part due to Brownwood Attitudes that were exposed as a result of issues related to this community debate.

Madcap Mob
Brownwood Mafia renowned for its pranks and civic pride
Date June 24, 2001
Source Mike CochranStar-Telegram Staff Writer
Section METRO
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New generation of activists is waiting quietly in the wings
Date June 24, 2001
Source Mike Cochran Star-Telegram Staff Writer
Section METRO
Edition FINAL

Can a shadow organization cast a shadow?
That appears to be the question with the Brownwood Mafia, a group of grand old lions who've grown a bit older and less active,
foxy and furtive over the years.
But younger, community-inspired activists are looming quietly in the wings, vowing to carry on the Mafia tradition, if maybe not
the Mafia itself.
Already the whole town is behind a high-powered promotional project orchestrated by native son Roy Spence, whose Austin-based
agency, GSD&M, has become one of the leading advertising companies in America.
"That [Mafia] spirit of cooperation and promotion is alive, and people will do whatever it takes to keep that spirit going," said
Richard Porter, a Brownwood insurance agent.
As for the Mafia itself, Porter, 50, said that will always be characterized by the older generation, "and you can't replace that."
Beer distributor Stuart Coleman, whom some describe as Groner Pitts' "straight man" and "getaway driver," believes that the
Mafia has a future.
"It won't fade away," he predicted. "We've got some young ones who will keep it alive."
The younger element includes Porter, eye specialist Stephen Kelly and, heaven help us, a young funeral director and potential
Groner Pitts protege named Brandon Blaylock.
Is young Brandon following in Groner's footsteps?
"Those are mammoth-size footsteps," he smiled, dodging the question.
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The Texas Observer
Political Intelligence: 6/22/2001
Karen Olsen
Flip-Flops All Over the Place
GOOD MORNING, BROWNWOOD. The year is 2001


THE TEXAS OBSERVER
Dateline Texas: 9/14/2001
Pineapples vs. Chicken-Fried Steak.
A Multi-Purpose Activist in Brownwood
BY DAVID GREENFIELD


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THE TEXAS TRIANGLE NEWSMAGAZINE
OCTOBER 20, 2000
State News
Brown County: "We Don't Have Hate Crimes"
By Matt Lum

BROWNWOOD, Texas - Some gay and lesbian residents in Brown County, located 130 miles west of Waco, have expressed concern in recent weeks about a number of unsolved crimes committed in the area as the number of homophobic threats increases and town officials continue to deny any problem with crimes motivated by sexual orientation.
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THE TEXAS TRIANGLE
Jan. 25, 2002
Deep in the Heart of Texas

But just how much has changed since local law enforcement offered free six-packs of beer to any redneck volunteer that would work to keep the 'fags from Dallas' out of town when Anita Bryant blew through Brownwood in her 1977 anti-gay crusade?
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These "acts of intimidation," according to Harris, are even more
threatening when one considers the history of Brownwood as far back as 25 years ago. It was then that Anita Bryant brought her anti-gay rhetoric from Florida to small towns across Texas.
The Forth of July celebration in Brownwood was called "Freedom Night ‘77," and Ms. Bryant was the headliner. A rumor in the late afternoon that a group of gays would be coming in to protest Bryant's visit prompted the assembly of enough law enforcement officials to "quell the riots at the 1968 Democratic Convention in Chicago," according to press reports at the time.
Among the myriad of law enforcement officers was a 35-member
Sheriff's posse dressed in white Stetsons, and a CB radio club the same size on standby.
According to the Dallas Times Herald, one CB'er, Bobby Jones, said "If any homosexuals arrived, ever' one of them would go back with a dent in his head."

The same article indicated that Groner Pitts, organizer of Freedom Night '77, and known by locals to be a member of the Brownwood Mafia, pledged to provide free beer to the region's cowboys if they would stand guard on all highways leading into Brownwood to stop homosexuals from getting in.
No gays or lesbians showed up to protest that day, but the Dallas Gay Alliance took out a full-page ad in that Sunday's Brownwood Bulletin as no to be silent on the issue.
"How sad that the lady of with the microphone has in the name of
Christ entered into a crusade of persecution and discrimination," the ad said in part.
In 1977, a teacher at Brownwood High School was asked if there were any homosexuals where she taught.
"There are some very hostile cowboys that would never allow that," she responded.
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"Hurtfulness, in my opinion, is a community that has allowed hate to continue without acknowledgement and preventative action," Harris said. "I firmly believe a man's character is called into question when he knows of injustice but does nothing to prevent such acts in the future."
And in that spirit, Harris has organized Brownwood's first ever Human Rights Committee.
"We promote compassion,understanding, education, and tolerance and we stand against hatred found in any form," says the group's mission statement.
Well over 40 residents have become members in less than a week of publicity.
"The majority of this town is not bad, just silent," Harris contends.
"Intimidation over the years has kept people from speaking out and no one wants to be the first. Now is the time to put the last 25 years to rest and demand a more welcoming city. It's time to stand up and admit we have this problem before it's too late."
Harris says city officials hesitate to admit such a problem exists
because doing so would necessitate the search for a solution - a venture current elected officials are reluctant to undertake.
Brownwood's new Human Rights Committee will meet at Steves'
Market and Deli on a regular basis. "There will be no set agenda,"
according to Harris, "just an opportunity for folks to talk. We will not remain silent."
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Brownwood radio host’s epithet draws complaints
Host apologizes after some listeners, advertisers object to use of anti-gay term; City Councilman also criticized for joking response to incident

By Gary Barlow
Staff Reporter - The Dallas Voice
A Brownwood radio talk show host’s use of the word “fag” last week drew a rebuke from the station’s owner and an apology from the host after some listeners and advertisers complained.
Talk show host Mikey Wayne of KXYL-FM, during a discussion about the Boy Scouts during his morning show on June 6, reportedly said, “Why don’t they just have a fag scouts group,” according to several listeners who objected to the comment.
A number of listeners were further angered when Brownwood City Councilman Ed McMillian called in to the show the next day to say that he had won a six-pack on a bet that Brownwood restaurant owner Steve Harris would call the station to complain about the “fag” remark. McMillian called after he heard Harris call in, then called and also asked the talk show host to use the word again so he could win another bet.
“This is not going to be tolerated,” Harris said on Tuesday. “You don’t have to be gay to be offended by this.They would never use the N-word to refer to blacks. They wouldn’t refer to Asians as ‘gooks.’”
The station is owned by Watts Communications, which also operates three other radio stations in the area. Company owner Phil Watts said that he chided Wayne after the incident.
“He made a mistake and said he was sorry,” Watts said. “We told him, ‘We’re not asking you to compromise your beliefs. We’re just asking you not to use that terminology anymore,’ and he agreed.”
Watts added that Wayne has since apologized on the air for using the anti-gay epithet.
But Councilman McMillian was unrepentant about his role, which he claimed was misinterpreted.
“I made a bet, but it wasn’t against them, the homosexuals,” McMillian said. “This whole little incident got blown out of proportion. I’m a plumber, and how many jokes and ads do you see about the ‘plumbers’ crack?’ I don’t get bent out of shape about that.”
But Harris and Jason Snediger, a Dallas resident with ties in Brownwood, said that the incident is symptomatic of the depth of the homophobia still prevalent in many places in Texas.
The central Texas town is no stranger to controversy over gays, having hosted Anita Bryant during her crusade against gay rights 24 years ago. Brownwood was also the setting for a still-unsolved 1996 murder that activists strongly believe was an anti-gay hate crime.
“It’s been an ongoing deal there as far as racial stuff and homophobia,” Snediger said.
In 1977, Bryant, who turned her objections over an equal rights ordinance in Dade County, Fla., into a national crusade, was brought to Brownwood for what was billed as Freedom Night ’77. Brownwood officials summoned all the law enforcement officers and volunteers they could round up to meet possible gay demonstrators from Dallas and elsewhere.
Prior to her appearance, one member of the law enforcement contingent at the Bryant event told the now-defunct Dallas Times-Herald that if any gays came to the event, “Ever’ one of them would go back with a dent in his head.”
Harris said that Brownwood has changed since those days, but not enough to suit him and many other residents.
“This city’s trying to rebuild itself, and this is not going to attract outsiders,” Harris said.
“I’m trying to promote a community that’s accepting of all people. I don’t want the rest of Texas to hear that kind of thing and think that all Brownwoodians are like that.”
Harris and Snediger weren’t the only people in Brownwood offended by the remark. Watts acknowledged that at least three advertisers canceled advertising on KXYL following last week’s events. “I made them take all our commercials off that station,” said Charlotte Parrack, manager of the Heartland Mall in Brownwood. “I plan to keep all our ads off there as long as I’m alive and breathing. I don’t want to be associated with a radio station that takes political stands like that.”
Parrack said that she’s sure Wayne regrets the incident, but said she wants the station’s owner to realize how seriously she and others in the community feel about the issue.
“I’m satisfied that the DJ made an off-the-cuff remark that wasn’t appropriate,” Parrack said. “I think he realized that he shouldn’t have. I think he regrets it.”
Nevertheless, she said, “Our ads will never run on that station.”
Watts said that as owner of the station, he told Wayne that while he’s free to express his opinion on the talk show, he can do it without insulting people.
“I had a serious talk with him about it,” Watts said. “I very much regret him doing it. We don’t want to hurt anyone.”