Blooming Grove

Front View

This interesting metal cage is located on the grounds of the city park in Blooming Grove, Texas.  It is one of the smallest found so far at only 78″ x 99″ (64.35 square feet).  Perhaps the most interesting feature is the small door that will not allow entry to someone standing up.  It measures only 24″ x 52″.  I am trying to find out where it was originally located and any additional information such as its age.

Side View

Floor Plan

Corsicana

Front View

Darryl Pearson visited this metal cage in Corsicana on September 10, 2015.  It is located at the Pioneer Museum.  Its measurements are 12′ across the front and 6′ 6″ on the sides (79.2 square feet).  It has two cells of equal size and no windows because of the perforated walls.  The top and bottom are solid sheets of metal.  Each door is 2′ wide and 6′ 4″ tall.  There are four metal beds in each cell.  They were attached to the wall with a “hook” or “latch” that allowed them to be folded up when not in use.  Darryl is acknowledged for the excellent images.

This cage was originally housed in the old Richland City Jail.  Les Cotten is a former Sheriff of Navarro County and he believes that the structure that enclosed it was brick and the overall size of the old jail was less than 200 square feet. Even though the manufacturer of this cage has not been identified, it bears a strong resemblance to those in Crawford, Montgomery, and Valley Mills that were fabricated by the J. Pauly Company in St. Louis.

According to the spokesperson for the museum, this jail was used in the oil fields in the 1920s.  The Powell oil field was the largest and nearby towns were Eureka, Mildred, and Tuckertown.  This jail was referred to locally as “Harmon’s Hoodlum Wagon” after Deputy Harmon Chandler from Eureka who drove the flatbed truck that it rested on.  Supposedly, the towns folk did not like to see this jail coming through Corsicana with its rowdy occupants.  In an attempt to pacify them, curtains were installed to block the view of the prisoners.  This jail was donated to the city by Eric Meyers and Sam Roberts.

Side View

Close up of cell with beds ready for use

Detail of Bed