Old City Calaboose - Henrietta, TX
N 33° 49.578 W 098° 11.653
14S E 574564 N 3743189
The old Henrietta calaboose, a one story wood frame building, now stands on the grounds of the Clay County Pioneer Association at Fifth and N Bridge Streets, Henrietta, TX. It was once much closer to the town square.
Waymark Code: WM12CYJ
Location: Texas, United States
Date Posted: 05/01/2020
Views: 2
The University of Texas has a nice
collection of Sanborn maps online, and they show the location of this old jail/calaboose across maps from 1885, 1891, 1896, 1902, 1907, 1912, 1922, and 1934.
Initially, this 1870s-era building of 304 square feet was the jail for Clay County and parts west. The original coordinates are an approximation, but for the most part, it was located just south of the 1890 jail, about halfway down the block, and the University of North Texas has a photo of it next to the 1890 jail. Growth and concern that Henrietta would play a much bigger role in territorial justice spurred an 1878 replacement (demolished, now occupied by an interesting building with a stucco façade) and then the 1890 jail, a wonderful museum to visit.
The calaboose has also served as a library, and for most of its life it was at the listed coordinates below. The 1922 and 1934 Sanborn maps show that it had been relocated just east of the 1890 jail to a place on the grounds of city hall across the alley. It was finally moved to its present location in 1957. It once boasted a Texas Historical Commission Medallion (#3707), but today, that's missing, and the building is in poor condition, with no apparent plans for restoration. It is "open" in the sense that one need but walk up to it and open the door to reveal a dirt floor and plenty of trash. The ceiling is beginning to come down, and there's at least one board that looks like it's helping to prop up a wall, while there are plenty of holes in the roof.
Note that one will either need to visit while the grounds are open, or park somewhere and enter the grounds by foot.