INTRODUCTION

The sample consists of calabooses that vary in size from one room or cell to three cells.  Those with only one cell comprise the largest group in the sample with ___ examples.   Those with two cells number __ and only three calabooses have three cells.  Although a photograph of each structure is included in the body of this report, these images do not always clearly portray the arrangement of the interior rooms.  Therefore, examples of the various floor plans are illustrated below.  Not every calaboose was open and available for the interior to be examined. Only those with known floor plans are included here.  The location and size of windows and doors vary from calaboose to calaboose.  In some cases, a metal cage with one or more cells was present.

Calabooses With One Cell

1a – These calabooses have only one door in the front of the building.  It is usually in the center, but in a few cases it may be offset to the right or left. The interior consists of an open room that may have had furniture and/or plumbing and electricity.

There are forty calabooses that fit the definition of this floor plan. They are Bedias, Best, Burlington, Carbon, Crandall, Deport, Encinal, Florence, Fort Griffin, Gause, Grapevine, Hermleigh, Jewett, Kemp, LaGrange, Linden, Lorenzo, Marquez, Mason, Merle, Monahans, Montague, Moore, Moran, Odell, Port O’Connor, Ringgold, Rochester, Rowena, Santa Anna, Seadrift, Skidmore, Snook, Stiles, Stockdale, Tioga, Trenton, Weesatche, Wellborn, and White Deer.  The calabooses in Desdemona, Henrietta, Jonah, Lefors, Petrolia, Vanderpool, and Walburg appear to conform to this floor plan but this has not been confirmed.

Bedias

1b – These calabooses have only one door in the front of a building with two rooms. The front area was used by law enforcement and often had some furniture and on occasion electricity and a wood burning or gas stove. These rooms may have been used as a cell when the actual cell in the rear was overcrowded. There are five calabooses that fit the definition of this floor plan. They are in Chillicothe, Glazier, Pilot Point, Sealy, and Wallis.

Chillicothe

1c – These calabooses have only one door in the front of the building that opens to a small open room. The door may be to the right or left of center. The single cell is opposite the entry room. There are three calabooses that fit the definition of this floor plan. They are Lakeview, Leonard, and Plaska. The calabooses in Desdemona, Jewitt, Petrolia, and Trenton may conform to this floor plan. Because entry was not possible, this has not been confirmed.

Lakeview

1d – These calabooses have only one door in the front of the building that opens to a room with a metal cell inside. The door may be to the right or left of center. Although this floor plan may be identical to some of those mentioned above, it is described separately because of the presence of a metal cage. There are two calabooses that fit the definition of this floor plan. They are in Rochester and Weimar.  Metal cages with only one cell that are no longer in a standing structure are found in Asherton, Blooming Grove, Candelaria, Crystal City, Dessau, Falls City, Helena, Hico, Lexington, McCamey, Marfa, Palo Pinto, and Tyler.

Weimar

 Calabooses With Two Cells

2a – Calabooses with two cells side by side. There is no middle or dividing room that was used by law enforcement and possibly as a cell when the regular cells were overcrowded. Both doors open to the outside.

There are twenty-one calabooses that fit the definition of this floor plan. They are Castroville, Comfort, Corsicana, D’Hanis, East Bernard, Fayetteville, Flatonia, Goldsmith, Goree, Holland, Holliday, Hubbard City, Kyle (now in San Marcos), McGregor, Mart (now in Riesel), Miles, Quemado, Rosebud, Royse City, Somerville, and Wortham. Location of windows may vary.There are twenty-one calabooses that fit the definition of this floor plan. They are Castroville, Comfort, Corsicana, D’Hanis, East Bernard, Fayeteville, Flatonia, Goldsmith, Goree, Holland, Holliday, Hubbard City, Kyle (now in San Marcos), McGregor, Mart (now in Riesel), Miles, Quemado, Rosebud, Royse City, Somerville, and Wortham. Location of windows may vary.

Somerville

2b – Calabooses with two cells side by side. There is a middle or dividing room that was used by law enforcement and possibly as a cell when the regular cells were overcrowded. Both doors open to the outside. Location of windows may vary. There is only one calaboose that fits the definition of this floor plan. It is in Caldwell.

Caldwell

2c – Calabooses with two cells side by side. There is a room in front that was used by law enforcement and possibly as a cell when the regular cells were overcrowded. There is only one door that opens to the outside. There are four calabooses that fit the definition of this floor plan. Location of windows may vary. They are Boling, Camp Wood, Sabinal, and Van Alstyne.

Boling

2d – Calabooses with two rooms side by side and a large room to the left that was used by law enforcement and possibly as a cell when the regular cells were overcrowded. There is only one door that opens to the outside. Location of windows may vary.There is only one calaboose that fits the definition of this floor plan.  It is in Clifton.

Clifton

2e – Calabooses with two cells with doors at each end of the building that is divided by a wall in the center. The cells are usually equal in size. The middle door may be offset to the right or left. There are two calabooses that fit the definition of this floor plan. They are in Cameron and Grapeland.

Grapeland

2f – Calabooses with two cells in a straight line. There is only one door to the outside at the front of the building. A door in the middle of the building leads to the second cell. There are five calabooses that fit the definition of this floor plan. They are in Frisco, La Coste, Marble Falls, Tivoli, and Turkey.

Turkey

2g – Calabooses with two cells of equal size in a straight line. There is only one door to the outside at the front of the building. There are two interior doors. The first one connects the two cells and the second one leads to a formal bathroom. There is only one calaboose that fits the definition of this floor plan. It is in Thorndale.

Thorndale

2h –  Calabooses with only one door in the front of the building that opens to a room with two metal cells inside. The door may be to the right or left of center. Although this floor plan may be identical to some of those mentioned above, it is described separately because of the presence of a metal cage. There are three calabooses that fit the definition of this floor plan. They are in Crawford, Spofford, and Van Horn. Metal cages with two cells that are not in a standing structure are found in Bremond, Corsicana, Eagle Lake, Knox City, La Plata (on the campus of Lamar University) La Pryor, Leakey, Montgomery, Sabinal, Sour Lake, Teague, and Valley Mills.  There are two standing calabooses where metal cages with two cells, were once present. They are in Eagle Lake and Sabinal.

 

Crawford

2i – Calabooses with two doors that open to cells on the right and left and do not face the front of the building.  The only known examples are in Arp and Rosser.

Arp

 

 

Floor Plan 2i (Arp)

Arp and Rosser

 

Calabooses With Three Cells

3a – Calabooses with one large cell in the front and a single door to the outside. The other two cells are on the back with separate doors. There is only one calaboose that fits the definition of this floor plan. It is in Bartlett.

Bartlett

3b – Calabooses with three cells side by side with doors that open from each cell to the outside. There is only one calaboose that fits the definition of this floor plan. It is in Granger. The structure in Barksdale may also be an example of this floor plan but this has not been verified as a calaboose.  The small jail in Comanche has three cells side-by-side but it is not considered to be a calaboose because of its size.

Granger

3c – Calabooses with this floor plan consists of two cells of equal size on the left side and one large cell equal in size to the smaller cells on the right side.  There are two doors on the front that open to one of the small cells and the large one.  The other small cell is behind the other and can only be accessed by a door inside the large cell. The calaboose in Eden is the only known example of this floor plan.

Eden

 

 

Floor Plan 3a (Bartlett)

 

 

 

Floor Plan 3b (Granger)

There is only one calaboose that fits the definition of this floor plan. It is in Granger. . The structure in Barksdale may also be an example of this floor plan but this has not been verified as a calaboose.  The small jail in Comanche has three cells side-by-side but it is not considered to be a calaboose because of its size.

Floor Plan 3c (Eden)

The calaboose in Eden is the only known example of this floor plan.