One-room jail explained

In the United States, a one-room jail is a type of jail with only one room, or cell.

One-room jail

Examples

Calaboose

In some areas of the United States, a small, free-standing, one or two room jail building is known as a calaboose, meaning "dungeon" in Spanish. Calaboose were mainly used to incarcerate prisoners for minor crimes, such as drunkenness in public or fighting, or as a temporary holding cell for when a prisoner awaited transportation to a county jail.[6] [7]

Use of the calaboose was common throughout much of the United States in the 19th and early 20th centuries, and today surviving examples can be found in several states. Texas, with its large number of counties, has the highest concentration of historic calaboose jail buildings with over 100 known structures. Many calaboose have only a single cell, feature a curved or vaulted ceiling, and were constructed of solid concrete, although brick, stone and wooden examples also survive.[7]

Examples

Strap-iron jail

A strap-iron jail is a type of open air jail made of strap iron bars. Basically a large metal cage with either one or two cells, strap-iron jails were commonly used in the United States in the mid to late 19th century. Several surviving examples exist in Texas.[15]

Examples

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Buhler Legacy: Seven Wonders. 2016-07-22.
  2. Web site: Greenlee County - Points of Interest. 2016-07-24. https://web.archive.org/web/20140202185909/http://www.co.greenlee.az.us/pointsofinterest.aspx. 2014-02-02. dead.
  3. Web site: Lower Lake, California. Office of Historic Preservation. 2016-07-22.
  4. Web site: San Juan Jail - San Juan Bautista, CA. 2016-07-21.
  5. Web site: The Washington County Courthouse: The Old Log Jail. 2016-07-22.
  6. Web site: Room For One: Red River Calabooses. 2016-07-21.
  7. Web site: Tiny Texas Jails: The Project. 30 March 2014. 2016-07-22.
  8. Web site: Walking Tour and Village Map Of Arrow Rock. 2016-07-22.
  9. Web site: Bronwood Calaboose. PDF. National Register of Historic Places. 2016-07-22.
  10. Web site: Delmar Calaboose. National Register of Historic Places. 2016-07-22.
  11. Web site: Tiny Texas Jails: Archer County. 7 April 2014. 2016-07-22.
  12. Web site: HISTORIC GHOST TOWN OF RUBY, AZ: Mining Camp from the Early 1900s. 2016-07-24.
  13. Web site: Texola Jail Texola Oklahoma. Greg Disch. 2016-07-21.
  14. Book: Quirk, Bob. More Real American Stories. 2008. AuthorHouse. 49–52. 9781467824743.
  15. Web site: Strap-Iron Jails and Cages in Texas. 2016-07-22.
  16. Web site: Strap Iron Jail. 3 May 2012. 2016-07-22.
  17. Web site: Tiny Texas Jails: Calabooses in other states. 2016-07-23. https://web.archive.org/web/20160926081148/http://www.tinytexasjails.com/vanished/dallas-county/jails-from-other-states/. 2016-09-26. dead.
  18. Web site: The Faded History Project: Foss Jail. 24 February 2016. 2016-07-22.
  19. Web site: Helena, Texas Ghost Town, First Karnes County Seat. 2016-07-22.
  20. Web site: Mobeetie Texas, former Wheeler County seat. 2016-07-22.
  21. Web site: Mt. Dora-Punta Gorda Jail. 2016-07-22.