I’ve been on Route 66 in Springfield, Missouri, at least 10 times, probably more.
But while surfing for Route 66 videos and looking over the city’s website for the Birthplace of Route 66 Festival, I stumbled onto a landmark that I don’t recall seeing. And it may be the oldest on that stretch of the Mother Road in Springfield.
It’s the Springfield Calaboose, also known as the old city jail. Built in 1891, it’s the oldest building owned by the city. It eventually became a police substation and the Springfield Police Museum.
Here’s a new video by KY3 television station photojournalist Tim Leimkuhler:
It’s listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
It would have been cozy digs for prisoners. According to the 1978 nominating form for the register, the building measures only 26 by 26 feet. The city used it as a jail for male prisoners until 1955.
Here’s an image of the interior from the 1978 nominating form:
One of the Calaboose museum’s intriguing artifacts:
On display in the Old Calaboose are a Thompson sub-machine gun and shotgun supposedly owned by Bonnie and Clyde and donated to the police department by a man named Max Larimore who had an armored car service in Springfield.
The Springfield Calaboose typically opens from 6 to 9 p.m. during the city’s First Friday Art Walk (first Friday of each month through the summer and fall). Tours also are available by appointment most days at (417) 837-5863.
It’s easy to overlook. It technically is not on Route 66, with an address of 409 W. McDaniel St. Google Maps doesn’t pinpoint the correct location. Also, that half-block of McDaniel Street dead-ends, so Google Street View doesn’t have any images of it from that section.
The Springfield Calaboose is visible from College Street (aka Route 66), but it’s set back about 150 feet, sandwiched between two big buildings. While driving, it’s easy to miss. You’ll find it at Google Maps here; it’s about two blocks west of Park Central Square.
(Image of the Springfield Calaboose via Facebook; image of the Calaboose interior from the National Register of Historic Places nominating form in 1978)
It’s funny you mention that Ron. While going through the “story maps” you posted about (below), I looked at every building on the map, including this one. I did not recall having ever heard about. A neat piece of history.
Technically, this building is not really visible from College Street. McDaniel now ends in a combo multi-level parking garage that has retail spaces on the ground floor. This garage wraps completely around the west side of the Calaboose, and the retail spaces pretty much cover all but a sliver of the the north side of the Calaboose. Add that there is another building that covers the east side, and the Calaboose is mostly undetectable from College. Plus, the new Hollywood Theater sits on the north side of College Street right there …. and most people completely miss the small glimmer of the Calaboose that is visible because the lights on the theater usually draw their attention to the north.
The best way to “see” the Calaboose, is to be headed north on Campbell Street, roughly two blocks south of College Street. As you approach McDaniel, the front/south side of the Calaboose is totally visible. And yes, Campbell Street in that area is a one-way street headed north, so it takes a bit of a detour to see the south side.