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Fayette County
Old Jail
Texas Heroes Museum
Photo
courtesy Texas Heroes Museum, December 2018 |
| A local history
published in 1975 stated: “The old jail may one day become a museum
and landmark.” The jail was in use up until 1985. Now, in 2019 – the
135 year old structure is indeed a landmark. One of handsomest and
best preserved 19th Century jails
in Texas. It currently houses the Texas Heroes Museum.
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| Photo
courtesy Texas Heroes Museum, December 2018 |
The
people of La Grange in
1837 either believed in before-need planning or else they had a serious
crime problem. They organized the county in December of 1837 and had
their jail completed by the next July. After this first jail wore
out prisoners were then farmed out to be kept in private homes for
a year.
The county paid the keepers the munificent fee of $3 per day and there
was probably a list of people willing to house and feed cold-blooded
killers for serious money like that. The total expenditure for this
experiment came to $622 – fully one half of the county’s entire annual
budget.
A prisoner named John Vaughn (crime unknown) had his trial date set
so far in advance that when the arithmetic was done, it was realized
his stay would cost the county $800. He was moved around to other
jails – to get a lower bid. Finally, Vaughn was parked at the Travis
County jail for a mere $111.
In the early 1880s, the county issued twenty-two bonds at $1000 each
to build a new first-class jail. An iron fence was ordered from Philadelphia
for $2,074. It managed to survive the scrap drives of WWII
and it's still keeping livestock off the lawn 120 years later. So
far, that comes to only $17 a year. |
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Fayette County
Jail in 2001
Photo
by John Troesser
, December 2001 |
Same view.
Vintage
photo courtesy Fayette County Heritage Museum & Archives
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One post of
the $2000.00 Fence
Photo
by John Troesser,
August 2004 |
Haunted
The jail is also said to be haunted. One of the suspected spirits
is said to be that of a Fayette
County woman who murdered a hired hand and then committed suicide
by staging a successful hunger strike. Another legend says the skeletons
of several hapless prisoners remain chained to the walls under sand
and silt from a flooding of the Colorado River. The sheriff couldn't
- or didn't - get them out in time. They've been telling that story
around cub scout campfires for years. |
Jail Tower
Photo
courtesy Texas Heroes Museum, December 2018 |
"The wind chimes
pictured are long gone." -
Katy Beauford, Texas Heroes Museum, Feb 28, 2019
Photo
by John Troesser,
December 2001 |
One of the two
matching round windows that flank the main door
Photo
by John Troesser,
August 2004 |
“Drunk Blocks”
Another convenient feature were the two exterior “drunk blocks.” These
freestanding cement cells on the jail lawn came with their own “bath.”
These cells were for prisoners too drunk (or rowdy) to climb the four-step
staircase of the entrance. One of the cells has been kept for display.
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| Texas
Escapes, in its purpose to preserve historic, endangered and vanishing
Texas, asks that anyone wishing to share their local history and vintage/historic
photos, please contact
us. |
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