Comfort

Front View

Side View

Plaster veneer over brick

Darryl Pearson found this calaboose and told me about it. Rhonda Holley was with me on February 19, 2016 when we took photos and measurements. We are grateful to Keith Marquart of the Comfort Water Board for letting us inside the fenced area.  At first glance, it appears that this calaboose was made of poured concrete.  However, on one side some of the veneer is missing and the bricks are clearly visible.  This calaboose is owned by the Comfort Water Board and is located on the corner of 7th Street and Main in Comfort, Texas.  It is enclosed by a chain link fence and gate that is kept locked because chlorine gas is being stored inside.  It consists of two cells arranged side-by-side and is 11 feet across the front and 9 feet on each side (99 square feet).  The height from the ground to the top is 8 feet.

The two doors are solid metal and appear to be original.  They were measured at 33 inches wide by 6 feet tall.  The cells have three windows, one on wall.  The size of the windows are 3 feet wide and 16 inches tall.  The bars are metal rebar inserted into a wooden frame.  There is no evidence that there were shutters at one time to keep out bad weather.  Since were not allowed inside, there is no information about the presence of beds, graffiti, plumbing, or other features. The window on the left cell has been modified to accommodate the chlorine gas inside.

An unusual feature of this building is the raised border around the walls, room, and doors.  Perhaps it has something to do with structure, but it could just be the work of someone who wanted to be creative.  It is the only calaboose in this sample with this treatment, at least to this extent.

Charles Fiedler is a resident of Comfort.  He told Darryl Pearson that his cousin, Louis Faust, is 82 years of age and was raised in Comfort.  Mr. Faust remembers individuals being locked up for the night. Carmen M. Hernandez lives nearby and she told me that she remembers it being used to house drunks until the next day when they were sent to the  jail in Boerne, Texas. This calaboose conforms to Floor Plan 2a (see Floor Plans).  There were no Sanborn maps available for Comfort at the time of this study.  It has been recorded at TARL as historic site 41KE276.