Over the weekend I learned some interesting details about the building that now houses Brownwood Music. I was researching another topic, and came across several old ads in the Brownwood Bulletin that tell a bit of a story about this address, if you piece them together. The music store there now is owned by Jodie Armstrong, and she and her husband Don have offered things like instruments, sound tech, lessons and kid’s summer music camps there since 1996. It seems the current building was constructed in 1930, and has a history that parallels the use and development of different types of ‘horsepower’. It’s always interesting to me how things change, how they are one thing and then become another, yet still retain elements of what was first.

I’ve spent a lot of time on the old brown couch at Brownwood Music while my son took guitar lessons there. Being the sort of middle-aged woman that has to use the bathroom every 30 minutes, I noticed in the back of the store, where I often had to go, some old fixtures and wood trim which were charming and obviously vintage. There’s a 1920s kind of feel about that back portion of the building that always piqued my interest. For one reason or another, I’ve lived in a lot of old houses. I like to find out things about the old places, who lived there, when and for how long.

So when I accidentally found an old advertisement for an auto dealership at 201 W Baker, my interest was piqued. I dug in to see what else I could find. The earliest ad I found for any business located at 201 W Baker Street was for a blacksmith that was operating at the location in 1921, according to a copy of the Brownwood City Directory of that same year. His name was C.G. Haynie. Three other blacksmiths were listed in the ad as doing business at that time in Brownwood: Cunningham & Couch was at 414 S Broadway, which looks like it’s a garage or parts depot of some kind today. W.T. Ervin operated a shop at 309 W Broadway, and J.W. Gist was bending iron at 600 Belle Plaine Ave.

The next ad I found relating to the Baker Street address was from Ray Morgan Battery and Electric Company, published in the April 5, 1928, edition of the Brownwood Bulletin. Mr. Morgan, it seems, was selling Exide batteries, which are ‘better than the others’, and he asks why would you buy any other kind? I guess they must be pretty good, since you can still buy an Exide battery for your car in town today.

By 1933, the location was called the Texas Sales Company. “See us first for dependable used cars.” The ad lists offerings such as a 1931 Ford Tudor, and a Model “T” Touring car. Probably someone out there would give their eye teeth for one of these today. In 1937, Brownwood Motors operated there, selling Oldsmobiles, run by a man called Jim Magness.

The location changed hands a few times, but remained a transportation sales operation of one sort or another at least until 1963. After that, it served as a western wear store in the mid 70s and early 80s. It was a music store when Mrs. Armstrong bought it, and she hopes it will remain one, as Brownwood Music meets the sound needs of a lot of local musicians and churches.

It’s not a surprise really that an old blacksmith’s shop would morph into an automobile dealership, when you think about it. One is making horseshoes and fixing axles, while the next one is selling the latest version of horsepower transportation, and fixing axles as well.

It’s fun to go into the store there and imagine the clang of a blacksmith’s hammer, to wonder where the horses queued up for new shoes must have been kept, or to call up the image of a mid-century car salesman. He probably had slicked back hair and maybe some sideburns. He was waiting there at the showroom window, hoping to catch some impressionable passerby with a fancy display of the latest Model T.

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Diane Adams is a local journalist whose columns appear Thursdays on BrownwoodNews.com