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Old Calaboose: Wetumpka's Historic Jail

Explore Wetumpka's oldest jail, a relic of the 1800s on the Coosa River, reflecting the city's enduring spirit and rich history.

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The Old Calaboose, Wetumpka's first jail, is a small brick structure dating back to circa 1820 [3, 4]. A tangible link to the city's past, it stands as a reminder of Wetumpka's early days and enduring spirit [4, 6].

A brief summary to Old Calaboose

  • Wetumpka, Alabama, 36092, US

Local tips

  • Visit during daylight hours to fully appreciate the architectural details of the Old Calaboose [6].
  • Combine your visit with a walk along the Coosa River and across the Bibb Graves Bridge for scenic views [6, 7].
  • Explore the nearby East Wetumpka Commercial Historic District to see other well-preserved buildings from the 19th and early 20th centuries [6].
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Getting There

  • Walking

    From the Bibb Graves Bridge, walk along the riverfront path towards downtown Wetumpka [7]. The Old Calaboose is located on Orline Street, in a parking area behind the buildings on Bridge Street, near the Coosa River [3, 7, 9]. It's easily accessible as part of a walking tour of the historic downtown area [7].

  • Taxi/Ride-Share

    Request a taxi or ride-share (Uber, etc.) to downtown Wetumpka [5, 7, 8]. Specify the intersection of Bridge Street and Orline Street as your destination [7]. From there, the Old Calaboose is a short walk [7]. A short trip from Wind Creek Wetumpka to the Old Calaboose will cost approximately $14 [5, 7].

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Discover more about Old Calaboose

The Old Calaboose, traditionally regarded as Wetumpka's first jail, offers a glimpse into the city's formative years [4, 7]. Constructed around 1820, shortly after Alabama joined the Union, it is one of Wetumpka's oldest surviving structures [3, 4, 6]. The calaboose is located on Orline Street, along the Coosa River, in a parking area behind the buildings on Bridge Street [3, 6, 9]. This one-story rectangular brick building rests on a fieldstone foundation [3, 4, 6]. Its simple architecture features small, barred windows on three sides and a heavy wooden door on the eastern elevation [3, 4, 14]. The hipped roof completes its functional design [4]. Wetumpka flourished in the early 19th century due to the booming cotton industry [4]. Harper's Weekly even declared Wetumpka and Chicago as the two most promising cities of the West [3, 4]. The Calaboose witnessed the city's rise and its near selection as the state capital [3, 7]. However, a devastating fire in 1845 destroyed much of the commercial district, thwarting Wetumpka's aspirations [3, 4, 7]. The Old Calaboose remarkably survived, along with the Farmer's Alliance Warehouse (now the Elmore County Museum) [4, 7]. Despite another major fire in 1852, Wetumpka rebuilt, but the capital moved to Montgomery [3, 4, 7]. In 1992, the Old Calaboose was added to the National Register of Historic Places as a contributing structure to the East Wetumpka Commercial Historic District [3, 4, 6]. Today, it stands as a poignant reminder of Wetumpka's resilience and its rich history [4, 7].

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