Railroad construction began in Brown County in 1884, and the first train arrived in Brownwood in 1885. This depot was designed by Jarvis Hunt of Chicago and built in 1909 by the Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe Railway Company. It accommodated traffic from a major rail junction between California and Texas and led to increased regional development. Passenger train usage peaked during World War II as 15 trains came through here daily. Architectural features include solid red brick construction with stucco finish, broad round arches, a 7-bay primary facade and a hipped red tile roof. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1996