Museum, Genealogical Library to Host Ribbon Cutting Sunday

McKENZIE — The grand reopening of the updated Gordon Browning Museum and Genealogical Library is Sunday, April 26, 2 p.m. at 640 N. Main Street, McKenzie. The event includes a ribbon-cutting and an open house.

The volunteers from the Carroll County Historical Society closed the museum in 2025 to complete a significant reorganization. The library is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Wednesdays through Saturdays beginning April 29. Volunteers are needed at the library.

About Gordon Browning

The museum is the official library for the late Governor Gordon Browning, who was born in a log cabin near Atwood.

The Gordon Browning Museum is a publicly-supported museum and repository for documents, images and artifacts that represent the history and culture of Carroll County, Tennessee. The museum is named in honor of the two-time Governor of the State of Tennessee, Gordon Browning and contains numerous papers, photographs and personal effects of the former governor. In cooperation with the city of McKenzie, county of Carroll and state organizations, the Carroll County Historical Society operates and maintains the museum and repository.

During the First World War, he served as an artillery officer in the Tennessee National Guard and in France before the war’s conclusion. He returned from the war to Huntingdon to resume his law practice. In 1923, Browning was elected to the United States House of Representatives and would serve for five successive terms until 1935. On his return from Congress, he launched a campaign to run for governor. He won the 1937 election and served as governor until 1939. The governor was unsuccessful in his bid for re-nomination. During the Second World War, he was re-appointed as an officer in the United States Army. He served as deputy head of the Belgium-Luxembourg mission and later served in the military government in Germany soon after the war. On his return to Tennessee, he began another campaign for governor and was elected governor again in 1949. His attempt for re-election failed in 1952 and again in 1954. Governor Browning retired from public service following his last campaign for the governorship and returned to practicing law and dairy farming in Huntingdon. He died May 23, 1976 and is interred in Oak Hill Cemetery, Huntingdon.