Caldwell County

Lockhart

A small one-story wood calaboose is depicted on the Sanborn fire insurance maps dated 1898 (Sheet 3) and 1903 (Sheet 3) in Lockhart, Texas. It was at 407 Church Street (block 22) and on the same block as the two-story stone county jail that was there in 1888.  In 1909 (Sheet 5) this building was referred to as vacant but the stone jail was still there.  In 1915 (Sheet 3), the stone jail was gone.  It had been replaced by a four-story brick county jail at the corner of  East Market and South Brazos streets (block 16).  The last Sanborn map available for Lockhart was published in 1922.  The brick county jail in block 16 was still standing.

Caldwell-Lockhart-1898

Lockhart 1898

Luling

A wood calaboose is depicted on the Sanborn map dated 1896 (Sheet 2) in Luling, Texas. It was in city block 50 (Lot 13) bounded by South Railroad Avenue and 5th Street. In 1902 (Sheet 2), 1907 (Sheet 3), and 1912 (Sheet 3) it was in the same location. In 1921 (Sheet 7) a one-story brick jail was on the corner of city block 23 at 206 6th Avenue.   No Sanborn maps were produced for Luling after 1921.  Perhaps the brick jail is still present.  Bob Skiles sent me a newspaper clipping from the Austin Weekly Statesman dated August 13, 1896 reporting on a successful escape from the Luling “Bastile.”

Caldwell-Luling-1896

Luling 1896

Caldwell-Luling-1921

Luling 1921

1896-Luling-jailbreak copy

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