Passport

Famous for its architecture, infamous for the tales that surround events in the early days of its founding, the Sutton County Courthouse is one of more than a dozen historical landmarks on the Sonora Downtown Historic Walking Tour, which also includes the Miers Home Museum, Old County Jail, Old Santa Fe Depot and others.

In Sheryl Brakey’s home office hangs a Rand McNally World Map with a blaze of small orange dots—each denoting her worldwide travels, from the Seven Seas to Tibet.

Along the way, this Fair Oaks Ranch resident fused a passion for filming and journaling her travels with lifelong interest in biology and technology. “From the very beginning, people loved my videos, and I began to realize I had a knack for editing,” says Brakey, who took up the skill later in life, after a trip with her husband to China, Nepal and Tibet. She formed SJB Productions, specializing in educational undersea films and international travelogues available on video and DVD.