It is located north of the Hatchie River, a tributary of the Mississippi, which originally served as the main transportation routes to markets for cotton.

The land was developed by planters for cotton plantations, and worked by large numbers of enslaved persons of African ancestry who made up a majority of the town and county population.

[9] The town was named for General Jacob Jennings Brown due to a local legend that he has established a trading post just southeast of what is now the town square prior to the treaty with the Chickasaw people allowing settlement in Western Tennessee.

[9] Fifty acres of land were deeded for Brownsville on December, 14 1825 for a sum of one dollar and the choice of lots.

[16] One of Brownsville's earliest Jewish settlers was Jacob Felsenthal who arrived in the United States in 1840 from Bavaria.

[9][20] The town is notable for its many well-preserved homes owned by wealthy planters before the Civil War, and multi-generational family-owned farms.

Notable among these include James Bond's home, which was moved to nearby Dyersburg in 1975,[21] the Eader House constructed in 1865, which is now used as an event venue,[22] Lucerne, a former plantation constructed in 1855 which is now on the National Register of Historic Places, and the Joshua K. Hutchison House, also on the National Register of Historic Places.

[23] This regiment, and likewise Company A, fought in the battles of Shiloh, Perryville, Stones River, Chickamauga, Franklin, Nashville, and took part in the Atlanta campaign.

[26] In addition, the area also produced one dedicated unit for the Union Army, a company for the 13th Cavalry.

[23] Despite the formation of these units and numerous prominent Unionists in the area at the time,[23] a monument dedicated solely to the Confederate dead was erected in 1909.

[27] Numerous notable Brownsville residents fought in the conflict Through the late 19th century, whites worked to re-establish supremacy after Reconstruction and impose Jim Crow and second-class status on African Americans.

In June 1940 threats were made against the group, and Elisha Davis was kidnapped by a large white mob.

[34] On June 20, 1940, Elbert Williams, secretary of the NAACP chapter, and Elisha's brother Thomas Davis were questioned by police.

[34][36] Thurgood Marshall of the NAACP conducted an investigation of Williams' murder and appealed to the Department of Justice to prosecute the case, providing affidavits of witnesses.

FBI agents were sent to the town in September to protect blacks wanting to register to vote, but the local people were fearful because there had been no prosecution of Williams' killers.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 10.2 square miles (26.4 km2), all land.

Brownsville is situated on the southeastern edge of the New Madrid Seismic Zone, an area with a high earthquake risk.

It is the longest free-flowing tributary of the lower Mississippi, and contains the largest forested floodplain in Tennessee.

[39] The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters.

There were a limited number of male graduates of this female college, but among them was future governor of Missouri Joseph Folk.

This college survived until 1897 and the campus remained empty until 1911 when it was purchased by the county to house Haywood High School until the opening of the current location in 1970.

[49][50] Organized in 1869, the Wesleyan Female College was formed, offering courses in languages, music, and other academic disciplines.

[9][49] Brownsville also operated Dunbar School, established in the 1890s to serve the African American population.

[9] Brownsville was considered by the Tennessee General Assembly in 1963 to receive one of the state's first three community colleges.

The library finished construction in 1992 after funding was raised jointly by the county, city, and local philanthropist David William Ross.

[57][58] Located alongside the Tina Turner Museum is the relocated childhood home of local blues musician Sleepy John Estes.

[59] The Ann L. Marks Performing Arts Center is located in the College Hill Historic District.

The theater is named for local writer Ann Liberman Marks who made substantial contributions to the arts during her lifetime.

The venue plays host to numerous events, including concerts, fundraisers, and public celebrations.

This venue saw many traveling companies throughout the years, and also hosted various local programs, talent shows, and dances.