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Built for hardware wholesaler, banking and railroad tycoon J.M. Brown, this Italianate home was one of a series of mansions built along Broadway during the height of Galveston's social and economic prominence. It is constructed of brick and cast iron, which helped make it one of the very few homes to survive the Great Storm of 1900 that killed 6,000 people and led to the island's virtual abandonment. What the storm didn't destroy time and neglect almost did. After the Browns moved on, it was home to the El Mina Shrine Temple. By the 1970's, the Shriners had moved out and the house was in line for demolition. Fortunately, a group of preservationists convinced the city of Galveston to spare the wrecking ball and instead buy the property from the federal government for use as a museum. Since 1974 it has been one of Galveston Island's great treasures and is open to the public.