Hubbard City
This calaboose is located in downtown Hubbard City, Texas and is owned by the city. It has no specific address but it is in an alley between 2nd and 3rd streets behind a row of old brick commercial buildings (mostly used for storage) in the 200 block of Magnolia Street. The exact date of construction is not known, but the method of construction and presence of a toilet with a high mounted local reservoir suggest a date of 1920 or earlier. It is made of concrete using the poured in place method. The exterior has been covered with stucco that creates a rough surface. This surface treatment was commonly applied when the concrete began to crack and deteriorate and it also served as a cosmetic treatment. In this case, the latter appears to be the reason. Similar stucco treatments were applied to buildings that were constructed from 1910 through the 1930s. The structure is 4.69 feet across the front and 12.14 feet on each side (178.3 square feet). The actual roof is about 6 inches below the walls, the purpose of which is not known. On the ceiling there is a cast iron vent pipe and two metal hooks. The windows measure 30 x 45 cm, and the doors are 94 cm wide by 1.94 m tall.
This structure was built to accommodate prisoners in two separate cells of equal size. The doors are made of steel with bars that allow light and visibility from the outside. The windows are located on the side and back walls of the cells, and they can be closed from the outside with metal shutters that are still in place. The bars are flat metal (aka strap iron) and consist of four vertical and five horizontal pieces. Part of the raised area that extends above the roof is gone. There are two concrete features that appear to be curbs on each side, but they were added later and are not associated with this site.
No jails or calabooses are depicted on the 1888, 1893, or 1898 Sanborn maps. The Brenham Daily Banner (Vol. 9, 302, Ed. 1) dated December 5, 1884. reported that Dr. James Ferguson, a noted sanctificationist, raised a disturbance at Hubbard City and was put in the town calaboose. Based on the absence of the calaboose present in 1884 on the Sanborn maps, it appears that it was gone by 1888 and the next on would have been the small one-story ironclad lockup depicted on the 1904 (Sheet 3) Sanborn map located at 215 Magnolia Avenue (block 81). It was still there in 1909 (Sheet 3). In 1916 (Sheet 4), it was referred to as a one-story ironclad jail; this time at 208 Magnolia Avenue (city block 81). In 1935, the current calaboose is depicted in city block 53 and described as a concrete calaboose of “fireproof” construction. There is no address for the calaboose but it is near the southwest corner of the block nearest 321 North 3rd Street. The current calaboose was, therefore, constructed sometime between 1916 and 1935. It is important to note that the earlier maps do not show the part of town where the ironclad jail was. Therefore, it could predate its first appearance in 1909.
In the cell on the right there is a metal bed that appears to be very old, and it may likely be one that was present when the calaboose was being used. Both cells have toilets with high mounted local reservoirs, but only the one in the cell on the left is in good condition. It only lacks the seat to be complete. There are a few examples of graffiti but some appears to be modern. The two names that may represent actual prisoners are Ophen Davis and Edward Barree. Another possibility is “Chris was here” in the cell with the bed.
According to the City Manager, there are no plans to demolish it. It is currently being impacted by small trees and other vegetation planted next to it by the local garden club. This structure conforms to Floor Plan 2a (see Floor Plans). It has been recorded at TARL as historic site 41HI327.