Oconee County Cage
Encyclopedia
The Oconee County Cage is a former jail on wheels that is located at Browns Square Drive outside of the Oconee Heritage Center in Walhalla, South Carolina
, USA in Oconee County. At the time of its listing, it was located on Church Street at the Oconee County Law Enforcement Center. It was named to the National Register of Historic Places
on November 14, 1982 along with the Oconee County Jail
. At the time of its listing, the cage was considered the most intact cage in South Carolina. Oconee County has preserved the cage as a reminder of the former harsh conditions faced by convicts in the early twentieth century.
. Male convicted prisoners were either sentenced to hard labor on the county chain gang
or sent to the state penitentiary
. In 1916, about 94% were in county chain gangs and about 6% were at the state penitentiary. In this period of racial segregation
, white
prisoners were separated from African-American prisoners.
Instead of being housed in the county jail, chain gangs were housed in cages, cars, or tents near the work site. The cages and cars could be used to also transport the convicts.
In 1915, the State Board of Charities and Corrections reported that the chain gang was about 4 miles (6 km) from Seneca
where the convicts were repairing the Oconee Station Road. There were two cages. One held eight African-American men and the other held four white men. For breakfast, they ate bacon, biscuits, syrup, and coffee. For dinner, they ate cabbage, bacon, and cornbread. For supper, they had bacon, biscuits, and syrup. In 1917, they reported that the cages were screened. In 1918, they said that the chain gang only had African Americans. White convicts were held at the jail or sent to the state penitentiary.
The chain gang convicts typically had a sentence of two months or less. Their families could visit on weekends and bring food. One former convict recalled that the convicts, guards, and their families all ate together and talked.
In the 1930s, the county had gasoline-powered trucks and built a new jail. The cages were no longer used. Although the chain gang faced harsh conditions during this period, it was considered to be an improvement over that faced by many convicts prior to 1900.
There is a similar jail on wheels in the neighboring Pickens County.
The cage had four metal bunk beds with three beds each along the sides. The bunks had metal strips to support the bedding. There was a metal barrel in the center for a fire. Canvas was used to cover the sides in cold weather.
Additional pictures of the cage are available.
Walhalla, South Carolina
Walhalla is a mountain city in Oconee County, South Carolina, United States. It is located from Clemson University in Clemson, South Carolina and is also located in the Appalachian Mountains of South Carolina. The population was 3,801 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Oconee County...
, USA in Oconee County. At the time of its listing, it was located on Church Street at the Oconee County Law Enforcement Center. It was named to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
on November 14, 1982 along with the Oconee County Jail
Oconee County Jail
The old Oconee County Jail is a former jail that was located at Short Street in Walhalla, South Carolina in Oconee County. The jail was located on the grounds of the current Oconee County Courthouse. It was named to the National Register of Historic Places on November 14, 1982 along with the Oconee...
. At the time of its listing, the cage was considered the most intact cage in South Carolina. Oconee County has preserved the cage as a reminder of the former harsh conditions faced by convicts in the early twentieth century.
County penal system in early 20th century South Carolina
In the early twentieth century, county jails in South Carolina were primarily for holding individuals who were awaiting trial that could not afford bailBail
Traditionally, bail is some form of property deposited or pledged to a court to persuade it to release a suspect from jail, on the understanding that the suspect will return for trial or forfeit the bail...
. Male convicted prisoners were either sentenced to hard labor on the county chain gang
Chain gang
A chain gang is a group of prisoners chained together to perform menial or physically challenging work, such as mining or timber collecting, as a form of punishment. Such punishment might include building roads, digging ditches or chipping stone...
or sent to the state penitentiary
Prison
A prison is a place in which people are physically confined and, usually, deprived of a range of personal freedoms. Imprisonment or incarceration is a legal penalty that may be imposed by the state for the commission of a crime...
. In 1916, about 94% were in county chain gangs and about 6% were at the state penitentiary. In this period of racial segregation
Racial segregation in the United States
Racial segregation in the United States, as a general term, included the racial segregation or hypersegregation of facilities, services, and opportunities such as housing, medical care, education, employment, and transportation along racial lines...
, white
White people
White people is a term which usually refers to human beings characterized, at least in part, by the light pigmentation of their skin...
prisoners were separated from African-American prisoners.
Instead of being housed in the county jail, chain gangs were housed in cages, cars, or tents near the work site. The cages and cars could be used to also transport the convicts.
History
This jail on wheels was one of several used in the early twentieth century for the housing and transport of prisoners on the chain gang. It was built around 1900.In 1915, the State Board of Charities and Corrections reported that the chain gang was about 4 miles (6 km) from Seneca
Seneca, South Carolina
Seneca is a city in Oconee County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 7,652 at the 2000 census. It is the principal city of the Seneca Micropolitan Statistical Area Seneca is a city in Oconee County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 7,652 at the 2000 census. It is...
where the convicts were repairing the Oconee Station Road. There were two cages. One held eight African-American men and the other held four white men. For breakfast, they ate bacon, biscuits, syrup, and coffee. For dinner, they ate cabbage, bacon, and cornbread. For supper, they had bacon, biscuits, and syrup. In 1917, they reported that the cages were screened. In 1918, they said that the chain gang only had African Americans. White convicts were held at the jail or sent to the state penitentiary.
The chain gang convicts typically had a sentence of two months or less. Their families could visit on weekends and bring food. One former convict recalled that the convicts, guards, and their families all ate together and talked.
In the 1930s, the county had gasoline-powered trucks and built a new jail. The cages were no longer used. Although the chain gang faced harsh conditions during this period, it was considered to be an improvement over that faced by many convicts prior to 1900.
There is a similar jail on wheels in the neighboring Pickens County.
Architecture
It is a metal cage on a chassis with wheels. Draft animals were hitched to a metal tongue attached to the front axle. The cage is approximately 14 feet (4.3 m) long, 8 feet (2.4 m), and 7 feet (2.1 m) high. The front, top, and floor are solid sheet metal. The sides of the cage are metal bars with riveted strips to form a grid. The rear is sheet metal with a hinged metal door.The cage had four metal bunk beds with three beds each along the sides. The bunks had metal strips to support the bedding. There was a metal barrel in the center for a fire. Canvas was used to cover the sides in cold weather.
Additional pictures of the cage are available.