About Us

Brief History of the FBMC

The Fort Brown Memorial Center was erected in 1953 by the City of Brownsville to commemorate the history of Fort Brown, named for Major Jacob Brown, the original commander of the U.S. Army post here. It was billed as “the newest and possibly the finest civic auditorium in the Southwest.” The complex, in addition to its function as a large convention hall, originally boasted a library, swimming pool, youth center, women’s center, and tennis courts.

Currently, Jacob Brown Auditorium and Stillman Town Hall are available for rent for public and private events. The Stillman Town Hall (named for Charles Stillman, founder of Brownsville) seats 120 and is a popular venue for smaller conventions and committee meetings.

The Jacob Brown Auditorium is used for athletic events, dances, conventions, banquets, and entertainments requiring a large amount of floor (nearly 11,000 square feet) or stage (2,800 square feet) space. The Jacob Brown Auditorium also features an attractive, 2,185 square foot lobby, dressing rooms, and a kitchen. The Jacob Brown Auditorium seating capacity is 1,593 (including balcony seating).