When Ralph G. Brooks first moved to McCook in 1947 as Superintendent of Schools, an apartment house on this site was his first home. Brooks pursued a varied path to the governorship of Nebraska. Although he had a law degree, he devoted most of his career to education. As a gifted orator, Brooks became known as a “one-man Chamber of Commerce” because of a famous speech he gave throughout his career promoting Nebraska. In 1958, Brooks was elected governor by less than 1% of the popular vote. Brooks declined re-nomination in 1960 to run for the U.S. Senate. Shortly before the election, he became the first Nebraska governor to die in office when congestive heart failure cut his life short on September 9, 1960.  The structure was torn down in 2011 to make room for the new Red Willow County jail but Gov. Brooks influence lives on.