Description

The Brownsville Historical Association passed the 50th year of its charter January 28, 1997. This organization is a two-fold operation. Stillman House Museum with its exhibit room is one. The House opened in 1960 and has carried on with Mr. Concepcion "Kino" Camarillo as guide and caretaker, as a salaried employee.

Stillman House is located in the business section of downtown Brownsville. It was built in 1850 and occupied by Charles Stillman, known as the founder of Brownsville, and his wife Elizabeth and their new family, until 1853 when Elizabeth returned to Connecticut with the children. Their oldest son, James, lived in this house and later became a prominent banker in New York City.

Renovation of the house has been completed and the exhibit area has been professionally installed. We are proud of this beautiful showplace.

In 1991 the BHA acquired a building (the Heritage Resource Center, now owned by the City of Brownsville) in the same block to use as its offices and for storage of archives collected for over fifty years. These had been in individuals' possession or stored at the Stillman House. The papers have been sorted and filed by volunteers. A part-time Executive Director was hired, but he resigned after two years in September 1996, and the work is being handled partly by the association's secretary at this time. Photographs are in the care of a volunteer. Unfortunately, we do not have a volunteer or an employee who can make full use of our computer. It is difficult to enlist the aid of volunteers partly because of the location of the buildings in downtown Brownsville.

History

Real property municipally owned; operations by private foundation. The BHA was chartered in 1947. Stillman House was acquired in 1958 and opened in 1960 as a house museum and a general historical museum. It is owned by the City of Brownsville and operated by the BHA. In 1986 the Historic Brownsville Museum, a separate entity also owned by the city, commenced operations. The museum rooms in Stillman House have now (summer 1997) been converted to cover only the Charles Stillman era (1835-1880s) in this area. The house has also been renovated and reopened November 1, 1997.

Artifacts Collections

Stillman House Museum contains mid-19th-century furnishings from Stillman family collection in parlor, bedroom, hallway, dining room, and kitchen.

S.H. Exhibit Rooms (2) contain selected artifacts, maps, and photographs relating to the Charles Stillman era (1835-1880s) in Brownsville/Matamoros, and C.S. ranches. Includes Juan Cortina's sword.

Heritage Resource Center (2-story building with approximately 2,000 square feet and nine rooms) stores a large collection of heirloom clothing, exhibited occasionally.

Research Collections

Heritage Resource Center (2-story building with approximately 2,000 square feet and nine rooms) stores collections of approximately 2,000 photographs (400 catalogued), some in poor condition, many unidentified, being inventoried. Also, primary historical source material, collected for over 50 years; 7 cu. feet of abstracts of title for Cameron & Willacy counties; Frank C. Pierce collection of copied Spanish/Mexican vital records of Mexican border cities from Matamoros to Mier (some selected copies are for sale), collected c. 1900, covering the period from mid-18th century. Approximately 4 cu. ft. Restricted availability.

The records also include some of the military history of this area (Fort Brown) and photographs. Library of approximately 250 books. Available for research on premises.