The Texas Calaboose and Other Forgotten Jails by William E. Moore
If you love quirky Texas trivia, then this is the perfect book for you. After extensive research and a lot of time spent driving through Texas, William E. Moore has compiled The Texas Calaboose and Other Forgotten Jails.
What is a calaboose? The simplest definition is a tiny jail, but there’s so much more to it than that, which Moore chronicles through his descriptions of the jails and history behind many of them. Calabooses were mainly used to house prisoners for a short period of time, whether they needed to be held until transport to a larger city jail could be arranged or just locked up overnight due to drunkenness or another petty crime. Most of these jails were rather primitive, with no electricity or bathroom facilities. However, one common thread among the calabooses is the deep history the cells hold.
From Arp to Wortham and everything in between, Moore chronicles every known calaboose in Texas. Each description includes the location of the calaboose, owner, date built, size, and physical description of the property. Notable entries from the Brazos Valley include Caldwell, Wellborn, and Bedias!
The Texas Calaboose and Other Forgotten Jails is available through the Texas A&M University Press.
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