current progress report

Philomena Buxton
History 388
Dr. Littlejohn
20 October 2009

The Wildest Show Behind Bars

The Texas prison system was still in it’s early stages when 1931 came around. It was in finical ruin. Marshall Lee was appointed to be head of the Corrections department. Lee hatched an idea along with an inmate to crate a prison rodeo that was comprised of rodeo events and that showcased different inmates participating in the events. It was an idea that at its conception was only meant to be seen by the officers and families that worked for the prison system, but turned into a huge show that would last for decades. He was trying to find a way to get the corrections department out of a sticky finical situation. The true start of the depression had just happened and most of America was broke.
The first decade of the rodeo from 1931-1941 saw that rise of what the rodeo would become. It was a huge success. In its fist few years the rodeo went from being held on one Sunday in October to every Sunday in October. The community around the Huntsville area was also allowed to attend. The public loved the rodeo and would flock to the town when it would happen. The only year that it was not held was in 1942 due to the United States entering into World War II. The rodeo showcased many talents. The riders would get a small prize for winning. The thrill of the rodeo was not extended to all inmates however. They had to have go behavior, be trustworthy , and have special clearance to participate.
The Huntsville Unit in Huntsville Texas were the grounds for where the rodeo was held every year. Lines would wrap around the block of people trying to get tickets. Every year they would have to add on to the structure. The rodeo was wildly popular with the Goree gals. They were women who were incarcerated who would go and perform at the rodeos. Some of other most popular events were the made scramble. Men would get on wild broncos and the last one to get bucked off would win. In 1931, at the start the men who were in the rodeo were a small group of inmates but the amount of inmate participation grew every year. Income brought in by the rodeo was immense. In the time of the depression, there was still a steady income from the rodeo coming in. Marshall lee had fulfilled his idea of the rodeo becoming famous. The inmate who had helped him was a ranch owner from west Texas who had killed a cattle inspector and had then been incarcerate.
They had many talents come to the rodeos. Heartthrob, Tom Mix, asppeared at many rodeos in the early years. He was a rodeo cowboy and a movie star. Women poured out to see him.