Brownsville, Minnesota

This week's GLO Record travels to Brownsville Minnesota, the first town established in the Minnesota Territory and named after brothers Job and Charles Brown. As the first seat of Houston County, Brownsville became platted in 1854.

To the right is an exerpt of the Field Note Journal in which Deputy Surveyor Mortimore Hayden recorded the start and finish of the original survey.

The brothers chose this location due to its proximity to the Mississippi River. As pictured on the map above and described in the journal exerpts below, Brownsville is a small community nestled on the river and located north of fractional section 25 and south half of fractional section 24.

An Episcopalian Church was built in 1869. In present-day, it is used primarily for weddings. However, the church can be visited by appointment.

By 1870, the town's population grew to 1500 residents. The bustling community included multiple churches and dozens of businesses, including a hotel depicted on the above plat, boating ports, and fishing industries.

Brownsville was once home to a schoolhouse, built in 1873, until its demolishment in 1993. In its place, a community center was built and remains in constant use.

In 1950, Brownsville lost its infrastructure due to fire forcing businesses closing. The popular Front Street vanished as the new Highway 26 was built.

Today, Brownsville has an average population of 500 people and is currently governed by a Mayor and four trustees. Still beautifully nestled on the Mississippi River, the city offers many outdoor recreation activities such as fishing, clamming, and bird watching. Visitors and residents can also gather each Fall season to view the annual Tundra Swan Migration.