BROWNSVILLE — The Fort Brown National Historic landmark has been reopened for visitors after Texas Southmost College closed the area down for maintenance of the land, according to a Palo Alto National Park Committee press release.
The landmark had been barricaded off to visitors for about a month, said Walter Plitt, chairman of the committee.
“The college needed to secure and protect the facilities there at the golf course that had been closed,” Plitt said. “But they were very nice and cooperative when we asked if they would open the site up again for people to visit.”
The landmark, located on the south end of the golf course, contains historical markers, a vertical cannon and the remains of the original earthen Fort Brown.
Fort Brown is one of three locations in Brownsville where the Mexican-American War was fought. The Palo Alto Battlefield National Historic Park tries to tell the war’s history in a way that is fair to both countries.
Being able to visit the landmarks is an important part of sharing that history, Plitt said.
“This is the history of South Texas. This is the history of our unfortunate war with Mexico. We learn from these things so that mistakes are never repeated again,” Plitt said. “Visitors are encouraged to go to Palo Alto first, then travel to the Resaca de la Palma Battlefield, then go downtown and visit Fort Brown.”
