Limestone County

 Kosse

There was a small one-story brick calaboose in Kosse, Texas in City Block 7 near the railroad almost under the water tower. This structure is depicted on the Sanborn fire insurance maps dated 1899 (Sheet 1), 1905 (Sheet 1), and 1911 (Sheet 1).  Joe and Sue Mills are residents of Kosse and they said the calaboose was still there in the late 1950s.  There was a freestanding metal cell or cage on the inside. It was sold to a wildlife park near Clifton and the town is trying to locate it and purchase it for display.

 

Limestone-Kosse-1899

Kosse 1889

 Mexia

The Sanborn map dated 1885 (Sheet 1) depicts a small one-story wood calaboose in the town of Mexia that was located at 703 Main Street in city block 9. This part of town is not depicted on the 1877 Sanborn map (Sheet 1), the only one available at the time of this study.   It was gone in 1896 and no calaboose or jail was seen on the maps for that year. In 1901 (Sheet 5), 1906 (Sheet 5) and 1911 (Sheet 3)  a small one-story ironclad calaboose was present at 120 Palestine Street (city block 23). This part of town was either not developed in 1896 or not depicted on the Sanborn maps. It was gone in 1921 and no jail or calaboose was seen elsewhere in town that year or in 1922.

 

Limestone-Mexia-1885

 Mexia 1885

Limestone-Mexia-1901

Mexia 1901

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