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"The Bastille" of Odessa, 1897 - 1927 Laughingly referred to as "The Bastille" by Odessa townsmen and Basin cowboys, this, the First Ector County Jail, was built in 1897 and painted red. It was constructed with 2 x 4's stacked and braced together with iron strips. During the early oil boom era, prisoners were often trans- ferred from Wink to the Odessa jail because of its "securi- ty". Nany times the prisoners would set their bedding on fire purposely so that they could be released at leased until the cells were cleaned and aired out. In September, 1927 the jail was sold for $175.00 to the newly organized Crane County officials and was trucked south to be used in Crane for many years. The fate of "The Bastille" is unknown; but it is told that it was sold by Crane officials in the late 1930s to a man who wanted to use it as a "chicken house". Credit line requires: Permian Historical Society Archives, U. T. P. B., Odessa. Photo by Shoopman (reprint) Positive only.