Chillicothe
This calaboose is located in a vacant lot in downtown Chillicothe, Texas in the approximate center of city block 40 that is bounded by Avenue F on the north, U.S. 287 on the south, South Avenue H on the east, and Avenue G on the west. It was made of concrete using the “poured in place” method. The rough surface is a coat of stucco covering the concrete structure. The stucco was probably applied when the concrete began to crack and deteriorate and it also served as a cosmetic treatment. Similar stucco treatments were applied to buildings that were constructed from 1910 through the 1930s. An interesting feature of this calaboose is the variation in wall height. The front wall and both sides extend above the rear wall. This particular method of construction is also present on the calabooses in Hubbard City and Wortham.
A cell with metal bars and door is only a few feet from the entrance and it faces the front door. At the time of my visit, the interior was littered with trash and the walls had been defaced with graffiti.
This jail measures 4.5 meters across the front and 4 meters on the sides (193.9 square feet). The two windows are 62 by 59 centimeters and the door is 80 by 190 centimeters. The age of this jail is not known but it would have been constructed sometime after 1921 because the Sanborn map (Sheet 2) for that year shows a one-story brick jail at that site for that year. This is the only Sanborn map for this town that was available at the time of this study. It is privately owned. This structure conforms to Floor Plan 1b (see Floor Plans). It was recorded at TARL as historic site 41HX127.
Floor Plan for Chillicothe Calaboose