Ringgold
Front of Calaboose
This unusual calaboose is located in the downtown area of Ringgold, Texas just off Loop 19 in an area that used to be an alley between two streets. At the time it served as the local lockup it was behind the McCall Company hardware store that faced Main Street and was owned by Will Hawkins and others. The key to the jail was kept in the store and it is believed that it was lost in 1939 when the store was razed by fire. According to local historian Max Brown, fires in the town of Ringgold were a fairly common occurrence. The age of this jail is not known, but the date 1934, carved in the west wall, suggests it was still in use during the early part of the 1930s. Local resident Bill Rushing remembers climbing on top of the jail sometime in the late 1930s after it was no longer used as a jail. His maternal grandfather, William Hawkins, was the town Marshall during the 1920s and he told Bill that the majority of people who spent time there were arrested for minor infractions such as public intoxication, fighting, and disturbing the peace. The town of Ringgold was founded in 1891 and by 1900 it was booming due to cattle, farming, and some oil production. A local jail was needed to house some of the more rowdy residents of the town and transients passing through for work.
This structure measures 10 feet across the front and 10 feet and 3 inches on each side (102.5 square feet). The height from the ground to the roof is 73 inches. The walls were made using a combination of mostly concrete bricks with a small amount of local limestone added to the mix. The roof is concrete and was made using the poured in place method. The pattern of the boards used to create the form for pouring concrete for the ceiling is visible on the inside and it is possible to count the number of boards that were used.
Interior of Calaboose
The only door is centered on the front wall and measures 32 inches wide. Unfortunately, the door is missing and only the opening remains. The door and part of the wooden frame is lying on the ground next to the calaboose.
Entrance to the calaboose
Door to the calaboose
There are two small windows with round metal bars. They were placed on the north and east walls. The window on the north wall measures 12 inches by 18 inches, and the window on the east wall measures 11.5 inches by 16 inches, and they are embedded in the wall matrix.
Window on the east wall
The height from the ground to the top of the building is 73 inches. The floor is dirt and below ground level. Inside, it varies from 76 inches below the ceiling in the front to 70 inches below the ceiling at the back. There is no evidence that the jail had a wood floor or other amenities such as plumbing or electricity. The walls are approximately one foot thick. There is a hole in the northeast corner that measures 8 inches by 11 inches and is irregular in shape. The purpose for this opening is not known, but Mr. Brown suggested it might have been for ventilation if there had been a heater inside. The original sketch map prepared by Max Brown is part of the records curated at TARL for this site. He also provided the photographs used here.
This building is on private property but the county has made plans to take possession. There were no Sanborn maps available for this town at the time of this study. This structure conforms to Floor Plan 1a (see Floor Plans). It has been recorded at TARL as historic site 41MU78.
LOCATION NOT REVEALED
This calaboose is on private property and the owner does not want its location to be identified. At approximately 93 square feet, it is one of the smallest in the sample. It is different from most because it was made of concrete blocks that were poured individually instead of the more common method of pouring layers of concrete the entire width and length of the structure. The blocks are of various sizes but the thickness seems to be constant at 7 inches. Another striking feature is the facade that consists of uncut rocks embedded in mortar. The flat roof and floor are also concrete. There is a definite pitch to the roof that is estimated to be ____ degrees. The door is solid metal with no openings for viewing prisoners. The only source of light and ventilation is the three small windows that measure 24 inches long by 8 inches tall. At the time of my visit, the owner assured me that it will not be demolished as long as it is in her possession. She uses it for storage. All of the windows have been closed from the outside but the metal bars are still in place.
Front View
Side View