The Arboretum acquired a historic 76-sq.ft. jail cell (c. 1890) in 2015 from a local donor. The cell, now displayed among other 19th century architectural artifacts on the Arboretum grounds, may have once stood in downtown Athens and served its community.
Tiny jails like the one found at the arboretum are sometimes referred to as “calabooses.” Etymologically, the word “calaboose” gets its roots from Louisiana French (calabouse) and Spanish (calabozo, or “dungeon”). Though by definition the term simply means “jail,” the structures described are representative of both architectural and cultural movements of the time.
According to William E. Moore, archaeologist and author of “The Texas Calaboose and other Forgotten Jails” (2019), these types of one- or two-room cells were often constructed in smaller towns to hold prisoners for petty crimes or in preparation for transport.
“From the early days of statehood through the early part of the 20th century, the calaboose was a common architectural feature on the landscape of Texas and the rest of the country,” says Moore, who has traveled to each of Texas’ 254 counties in search of these relics.
Though one of many, the historic Henderson County Jail located on arboretum grounds can be differentiated from other Texas calabooses because of its design and composition.
“The doors and panels containing square holes for light and ventilation were cut from a single sheet of metal, unlike those made by companies such as J. Pauly and E.T. Barnum,” Moore says, noting also that the “[raised] letters on the exterior appear to spell Carnegie, a name not associated with the manufacture of jail cells.”
Tiny jails like the one found at the arboretum are sometimes referred to as “calabooses.” Etymologically, the word “calaboose” gets its roots from Louisiana French (calabouse) and Spanish (calabozo, or “dungeon”). Though by definition the term simply means “jail,” the structures described are representative of both architectural and cultural movements of the time.
According to William E. Moore, archaeologist and author of “The Texas Calaboose and other Forgotten Jails” (2019), these types of one- or two-room cells were often constructed in smaller towns to hold prisoners for petty crimes or in preparation for transport.
“From the early days of statehood through the early part of the 20th century, the calaboose was a common architectural feature on the landscape of Texas and the rest of the country,” says Moore, who has traveled to each of Texas’ 254 counties in search of these relics.
Though one of many, the historic Henderson County Jail located on arboretum grounds can be differentiated from other Texas calabooses because of its design and composition.
“The doors and panels containing square holes for light and ventilation were cut from a single sheet of metal, unlike those made by companies such as J. Pauly and E.T. Barnum,” Moore says, noting also that the “[raised] letters on the exterior appear to spell Carnegie, a name not associated with the manufacture of jail cells.”
Moore adds that, while similarly constructed cells can be found in Travis and Real County, “...they lack the Carnegie name.”
Another interesting difference the tiny jail historian points out in his book is that the Henderson County Jail was the only one among his sample to feature multiple locks on each door and a “metal bucket of sorts, which was the toilet” — the height of 19th century convenience!
Past research accumulated by the arboretum suggests that the Henderson County Jail may have been built using scrap metal leftover from a bridge or other construction project, hence its unusual design. Some also believe that this cell was at one time stored right in the local sheriff’s backyard as a kind of weekend holding tank.
Do you or any of your friends or family know more about Henderson County’s history? We would love to hear from you! Help us complete our history of the Henderson County Jail by contacting [email protected] with your information.
Past research accumulated by the arboretum suggests that the Henderson County Jail may have been built using scrap metal leftover from a bridge or other construction project, hence its unusual design. Some also believe that this cell was at one time stored right in the local sheriff’s backyard as a kind of weekend holding tank.
Do you or any of your friends or family know more about Henderson County’s history? We would love to hear from you! Help us complete our history of the Henderson County Jail by contacting [email protected] with your information.
