Jess Reed sent me photos and measurements for calabooses in Seadrift and Port O’Conner, both in Calhoun County on the coast.  I really appreciate the help I am receiving from readers of my website or the article I wrote for the Texas Co-op Power magazine a few months ago.  Darryl Pearson also provided information for these same calabooses when he was in the area.

There is a large number of surviving metal cages and cells.  Most (if not all) of these were probably originally placed inside a structure like the ones in Crawford (McLennan County), Nixon (Gonzales and Wilson counties), and Weimar (Colorado County).   Early on, I placed the pictures of the cages in those towns under the tab “Cages and Cells” instead of calabooses.  I did that because I wanted to emphasize and showcase these metal monsters.  Now, they have been moved to the Calabooses tab where they belong.  The cages are also depicted in “Cages and Cells” for cross reference.

Yesterday I got to meet Darryl Pearson, the other jail hunter who sends me great pictures.  We had lunch at the Dixie Cafe in Hearne and then went to the jail in that town.  I was accompanied by Rhonda K. Holley (my designated driver) and her mom Donna Smith.  That’s me on the left and Darryl on the right.  Rhonda took the picture.

On his way to Hearne, he stopped in Franklin and was told about a metal cage in Boone Prairie that had been moved from its original location in Bremond (Robertson County).  It is another good one.  More information and pictures will be posted on this website later.

Darryl Pearson was in Marion, Texas (Guadalupe County) and found this interesting jail that I am putting in the calaboose category.  It is in poor condition but finding it will preserve it through pictures for now and hopefully someday it can be saved.  More information has been posted on this website under Calabooses.

Darryl Pearson found an interesting building in Lyons (Burleson County) inside a fenced area on Water Board property.  He estimated its size as 12 feet by 20 feet and about 9 feet high. One of the locals said it came from the Brazos River bottoms.  At this point, this is all we know.  It has a new tin roof and the walls are also covered with new tin.  This suggests to me that the original exterior may not be in good condition and the tin was added so that it can be used for another purpose such as storage.

Darryl Pearson talked with the Judge in Appermont and learned that the old calaboose was destroyed when hit by a drunk driver.  There is a larger jail that is no longer in use but still standing.   The calaboose will be moved to the Vanished page when I have a page for Stonewall County.

Calaboose

jail still standing

My one page calaboose article in Texas Co-op a few months ago has paid huge dividends.  I have received several leads to new calabooses.  Today the Editor of the magazine sent me a letter from Doug Schafer in Plano who mentions a brick calaboose in Collinsville.  I am checking on this but I think it is the same one I saw in Tioga.  He refers to Clarks BBQ being nearby and I’m positive that is where I had lunch.

Also today, I received my issue of the Medallion published by the Texas Historical Commission.  On the back cover they mentioned the names of those who correctly guessed the mystery building as the calaboose in LaGrange.  They also gave my website link.  Hopefully, more leads will come my way.

Darryl Pearson has been jail hunting again and he sent me pictures and measurements for the calaboose in Riesel.  I had been there, found it by accident, but it is behind a fence and the gate was locked so my measurements are only estimates.  I am pleased that he was able to  get inside the fenced area and the jail as well.  The picture below is one of his.  I have added some of his photos to my website.

When I saw it I did not know how many cells were inside.  Darryl’s photos show that there were two, side by side.  This floor plan is similar to my Floor Plan 2e but is not quite the same.

Darryl Pearson sent pictures of the calaboose in Beeville (Bee County).  This is a most unusual one.  Pictures and discussion have been posted.

Darryl Pearson just returned from one of his jail trips and he shared photos and other information with me about the old calaboose that was moved from Tivoli (Refugio County) to the town of Refugio.  When I have a page created for that county I will add more.