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| Pecos County jail |
The Pecos
County Jail is a good place to learn about law and order in the Old West,
namely Fort Stockton in West Texas.
The jail, Fort
Stockton’s second, began life in 1884. The two-story sandstone structure would
be used until 2000. Prisoners were housed on the second floor, with the first
floor set aside for offices for the sheriff and his deputies. The lower floor
also contained the sheriff’s living quarters.
The jail
was enlarged in the early 1900s, but otherwise remains much as it was: stark
with ugly cells that should have made people think twice about committing a
crime.
Today the
jail houses a museum devoted to sheriffs and local law enforcement. It is
located at 101 West Gallagher Street across from the county courthouse. Free tours of the old jail are available by appointment
only.
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