Old Calaboose: Wetumpka's Historic Jail

The Old Calaboose, traditionally regarded as Wetumpka's first jail, is a tangible link to the city's rich history. Constructed circa 1820, shortly after Alabama joined the Union, it is one of Wetumpka's oldest surviving structures. The calaboose is located on Orline Street, along the Coosa River, in a parking area behind the buildings along Bridge Street.The one-story rectangular brick building rests on a fieldstone foundation. Its hipped roof, small barred windows, and heavy wooden entrance door on the eastern elevation evoke a sense of the past. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1992 as a contributing structure to the East Wetumpka Commercial Historic District.Wetumpka flourished in the early 19th century due to the booming cotton industry. Harper's Weekly declared Wetumpka and Chicago as the two most promising cities of the West. The city served as a commercial hub with banks, stores, and hotels lining the eastern bank of the Coosa River. Despite devastating fires in 1845 and 1852 that destroyed much of the commercial district, the Old Calaboose survived, standing as a silent witness to Wetumpka's resilience. Today, it serves as a reminder of the city's enduring spirit.