Our Town Spotlight: Terry County Heritage Museum

BROWNFIELD, Texas (KJTV) - The evolving history of Terry County is captured at the Terry County Heritage Museum, located in a residential Brownfield neighborhood that was once a part of rural West Texas.

The town’s namesake Dick Brownfield was a rancher, bank cashier and an automobile dealer. His ranch house now serves as a link to the past.

“The things that we have are actually housed in Mr. Brownfield’s house! So, it’s not the typical museum in a great big building. It’s unique in that fashion,” said Keri Barnett, president of the museum’s board of trustees. “At his passing, he deeded it to the city. We don’t charge anybody to come through see it. We survive strictly on donations.”

Barnett says the museum, which has always been at South B St. and Cardwell St. makes for a great place to have school field trips.

“We love to have the kids from different schools come through. Typically in the Spring after the testing, the different districts, Brownfield, Meadow students, Wellman students, will come. We get several of the board members to post up in different rooms, and we get to talk about different things in the museum hoping that we can build some of that heritage for some of the kids,” he said.

One of the places most talked-about features is “Wonder Bill,” a two-headed calf that only lived for four days.

“We have a double-headed calf that was donated in the 50′s, and that’s always a big draw for the boys especially. The girls are like ‘Eww!’ but the boys love it!”

The heritage museum doesn’t just have permanent displays. There are also exhibits that change throughout the year.

“This past fall was 100 years for the Brownfield football team. We don’t have a football uniform, but we had a band uniform and some cheerleading things, and some yearbooks, and that’s one of our current exhibits,” Barnett said. “Every day, you’re making history. What you’re doing today will be someone’s history.”

Terry County’s first jail and train depot are also located on the museum grounds. To learn more, visit the Web site terrycoheritagemuseum.com.

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