Bedias Calaboose - Corner of West and Main
After staying home for the last three months, if you need an escape from town that’s safe and fun for the whole family, consider a historical trip through Texas, visiting calabooses hidden throughout this great state. In fact, there are several you can visit less than 100 miles from the heart of the Brazos Valley
Gause Calaboose - Behind Coats Grocery Store on the Highway
The Texas calaboose was more than just a place to lock up prisoners. It represents a time capsule in small vernacular jail architecture that was present in many forms throughout the state until the middle of the twentieth century. Calabooses were a common feature on the Texas landscape for many years. The word calaboose is an Anglicized version of "calaboza," the Spanish word for jail. The criteria used to define a calaboose is a one-story structure occupying a footprint of approximately 300 square feet or less, most often with one or two cells. These small whimsical structures seem totally out of place in the 21st century.
Although they sometimes housed serious criminals, most occupants were people guilty of petty crimes such as drunkenness and fighting and often released the next day.
Bonnie Parker spent a night in the calaboose in Kemp after being arrested for auto theft and burglary in 1932. The calaboose was surrounded by armed men and a huge crowd gathered to get a glimpse of the famous outlaw through the window. Abbie Lou Williams of Kemp says, “I remember my momma going down there to look at Bonnie Parker. Bonnie got so mad, she spit in my mother’s eye.”
Somerville Calaboose - Somerville Historical Museum at 742 Memory Lane
A night in the local calaboose was not a pleasant experience even when electricity and other amenities were available. Most calabooses did not have that luxury, and sanitary facilities were often absent. Conditions ranged from tolerable to unbearable. The calaboose in Desdemona had no windows, and time spent there in the summer must have been most unpleasant. Boredom was often dealt with by writing graffiti on the walls. The best example of this is in McGregor where the walls are literally covered with the writings of prisoners giving names and dates. At times, these tiny buildings were full to overflowing. A resident of Burlington told me that as a child he used to see men tied to trees because of the crowded conditions inside the tiny calaboose.
Although many calabooses are gone, 95 extant examples in 70 counties were documented. Many survived because they were repurposed to serve other needs such as storage. The calaboose in Grapeland was used as a chicken coop until the owner donated it to the city for preservation. The calaboose in Eagle Lake is now the home of the local Girl Scout troop.
Location of Calabooses and Other Jails 100 Miles from B/CS
Some calabooses were demolished due to safety issues and unsanitary conditions.
The calaboose in Orange was supported in part by pilings in the Sabine River. It was demolished because too many prisoners fell into the river while attempting to escape. In some towns, citizens objected to a calaboose in areas where passersby, especially children, could hear the curses by prisoners.
Unfortunately, many have disappeared from the landscape, and more may follow.
A visit to these historic structures can be much more than seeing a particular calaboose. Small Texas towns often have other interesting sights such as cemeteries, unusual architecture, historical markers, ghost signs, and great local restaurants.
