Carbon in Eastland County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)

Carbon City Jail

Photographed By James Hulse, November 21, 2020

1. Carbon City Jail Marker

Inscription.

During a jailbreak, Carbon's 1905 Jail was destroyed, resulting in the need for a more substantial calaboose. Built in 1921 this unadorned square plan building is composed of reinforced concrete walls and a steel door. The structure had no lights or heat, and was intended as temporary holding until prisoners were transferred to other cities. The building often stood vacant, and during WWII it was used for occasional scrap drive collections. Local brides and grooms were sometimes locked up on their wedding nights. Today the jail is a rare surviving example of a once common building type on Texas towns.
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 2013
Marker is property of the State of Texas.

Erected 2013 by Texas Historical Commission. (Marker Number 17695.)

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Law Enforcement. A significant historical year for this entry is 1905.

Location. 32° 16.28′ N, 98° 49.675′ W. Marker is in Carbon, Texas, in Eastland County. Marker is at the intersection of Collins Boulevard and 5th Street, on the left when traveling east on Collins Boulevard. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Carbon TX 76435, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 9 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Carbon Methodist Church Building (approx. 0.2 miles away); First Baptist Church

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(approx. ¼ mile away); The Connellee House (approx. 8.7 miles away); Early Settlers of Eastland County (approx. 8.9 miles away); First United Methodist Church of Eastland (approx. 8.9 miles away); First Christian Church (approx. 8.9 miles away); The Bankhead Highway (approx. 9 miles away); Early Banking in Eastland (approx. 9 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Carbon.

Also see . . . Early Twentieth Century Calabooses in the Texas Borderlands. Journal of Texas Archeology and History website entry (Submitted on December 7, 2020, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.)

Carbon City Jail image. Click for full size.

Photographed By James Hulse, November 21, 2020

2. Carbon City Jail

This type of jail is called a calaboose due to its tiny size.

The Carbon City Jail from the street image. Click for full size.

Photographed By James Hulse, November 21, 2020

3. The Carbon City Jail from the street

Credits. This page was last revised on September 15, 2022. It was originally submitted on December 7, 2020, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas. This page has been viewed 149 times since then and 20 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on December 7, 2020, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas. • J. Makali Bruton was the editor who published this page.