Lee County

Giddings

According to Ed Blackburn, Jr. (2006:208-209), the first jail in the county was built before the county was organized and he describes it as a two-story frame calaboose adjacent to the Houston and Texas Central (H. & T. C.) Railroad tracks. He also states that there is no written record of its existence.  This calaboose is depicted on the Sanborn maps dated 1885 (Sheet 1) and 1891 (Sheet 1) show a small two-story wooden calaboose in Giddings, Texas.  It was behind a cattle pen just south of the railroad tracts near the corner of South Railroad Avenue and Grimes Street. In 1891 (Sheet 1), a small one-story wooden addition was added on the south side. On the 1896 Sanborn map (Sheet 1), the calaboose building was being used as a warehouse and scales. In 1906 (Sheet 4), a two-story brick county jail is the only lockup in town.

giddings-1885Giddings 1885

2 thoughts on “Lee County

  1. Ralph Ware

    The iron plate remnants of a calaboose are in Lexington, Lee County. They are adjacent to the historic log cabins. When I took a tour of the place, years ago, I was told that “Brushy Bill” was once held in the jail.

    Reply
    1. Bill Post author

      Ralph,

      I have also been to the metal cage or cell in Lexington. It is most unusual and probably was once inside a building. See the pictures of the calaboose in Crawford on my website. The two are similar.

      Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *