Beeville

The 1898 Sanborn fire insurance map (Sheet 1) depicts a one-story wood calaboose in Beeville, Texas. It was located at 522 Houston Street next to city block 20. In 1904 (Sheet 2), a wooden dwelling was in its place. In 1914 (Sheet 7), a two-story brick county jail was the only lockup in town.

Ed Blackburn, Jr. (2006:34) states that the first jail of record was a wooden structure made in 1874 using the board and batten method.  It had one door, double walls, and cost $1,381.74.  Inside was an iron cell with a plaque that reads “Pauly of St. Louis.”  The high price of this jail is probably due to the expense of a metal cell made in St. Louis and shipped to Beeville.

Beeville 1898