Today the Brown County Museum of History accepted a generous donation of $150,000 from Dr. Paul and Toni Burns.  Dr. Burns is a fourth-generation native of Brown County.  After spending his professional career as a medical doctor in Austin, he retired back to the family ranch in Brown County.  The ranch was founded by his great-grandfather in 1873.  Dr. and Mrs. Burns’ donation amount is in recognition of his family’s 150-year history in Brown County.  Since moving back to the family ranch, Burns has worked tirelessly to restore the family ranch, including the landscape.  His efforts have been recognized with the Lone Star Steward Award from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

The Museum today hosted a reception in honor of Dr. and Mrs. Burns.  In a statement provided at the reception, Dr. Burns said the following:  “Growing up in Brown County has had a significant impact on my life: in becoming a doctor, serving in the military, and in practicing medicine as a specialist in Austin for many years.  I am deeply thankful for my upbringing on the ranch, and the education I received here.  My wife Toni and I enthusiastically support the mission of the Brown County Museum of History — we see the many important ways it serves the community by providing historical preservation and a variety of educational opportunities for all generations.  In honor of the 150th anniversary of the Colonel Burns Ranch, we donate $150,000 in support of this museum.  We hope this gift will inspire others to support what this museum is accomplishing as an integral part of Brown County’s history and culture.”

At the reception, Dr. Burns’ verbal remarks included the following:

“Toni and I have travelled the world.  We’ve been everywhere.  But we found that if we really want to understand a city or town, we would go to two places:  the library and the museum.  My great-grandfather was the first in our family to come here in 1873, 150-years ago… He and his wife rode on horseback all over the County, looking for a place to live.  They finally found a place with beautiful hills and valleys, creeks, and fertile land.  It was, and is, a paradise.  He was elected to two terms in the Texas House of Representatives.  He was running for the Senate and was campaigning when he died of a heart attack.”

Burns said the good times and bad times on the ranch paralleled those of the County.  “I realized years ago that the ranch and Brown County are inexorably joined.”  The economic downturn of 1901 was felt on the ranch.  The Roaring 20’s saw the ranch flourish, and family members get a college education at Howard Payne.  The depression of the 1930’s was devastating, and the family lost most of the ranch.  During World War II, it was boomtimes in Brownwood and Brown County, and the ranch once again flourished.  The drought in the 1950’s was difficult times on the ranch.  “You must know what happened in Brown County to understand the ranch, and to understand Brown County today.  Now Brownwood and Brown County are changing.  Demographics are changing.  Organizations are changing.  Many new people are moving here.  They see Brown County the way I see Brown County.  It’s a wonderful place to live, work, and raise a family, and then retire.”

Referencing Charles Dickens in his book “A Tale of Two Cities,” Burns said “Brown County has experienced the best of times, and the worst of times.  And I believe today we are experiencing the best of times.  It’s not an accident that we are experiencing the best of times.  The reason Brownwood and Brown County are flourishing and experiencing the best of times is because thousands of people have set their lives making Brown County and Brownwood better.  And now Brown County and Brownwood are experiencing the best of times because of the leadership we have today.

“Dr. Carl Sagan said ‘you have to know the past, to understand the present.’ Toni and I are able to contribute this gift of money, to reciprocate someway, for all the gifts that Brownwood and Brown County have given us.”

The Burns family is now in its seventh generation in Brown County, and five Burns families live on the Colonel Burns Ranch.

Museum Director Kyndall Howard said the first project made possible by this donation will be “An Oral History – Voices of Service: Memories from Vietnam Veterans of Brown County.”

The Brown County Museum of History is located at 209 N. Broadway in Brownwood.  It is open Thursdays and Fridays 10am – 2pm, and Saturdays 10am – 4pm.