In 1890, lumber baron W.C. Brown Sr. arrived in Hot Springs, Arkansas after seeking refuge for his family from a malaria outbreak in their hometown of Stamps, Arkansas. W.C. Brown found a piece of land on Central Avenue and built a Queen Anne style home, moving his family to the property in 1904. By 1919, the family's fortunes soared as Bodcaw Lumber became known as the largest yellow pine mill in the world. Subsequently, the family hired the Witt, Siebert, and Halsey architectural company of Texarkana to transform their home into a neoclassical masterpiece. Despite their opulent mansion, the Browns were known in Hot Springs and throughout Arkansas for their philanthropy. From contributing to area hospitals and schools to community organizations, the family, devote Presbyterians, prided themselves on giving to others - W.C. Brown, Sr. even helped found the first Boy Scout troop in Arkansas. The Brown House eventually fell into disrepair, but in 2020, Mark and Rhonda McMurry along with local developer Rick Williams took on the challenge of restoring the landmark. Opening its doors in 2021, this once private mansion now welcomes guests to experience the magic of its ornate architecture as a boutique hotel.
Courtesy of the Garland County Historical Society
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