The W. F. Ramsey Unit (previously Ramsey I Unit) is a Texas Department of Criminal Justice prison farm located in unincorporated Brazoria County, Texas, with a Rosharon postal address; it is not inside the Rosharon census-designated place. The prison is located on Farm to Market Road 655, west of Farm to Market Road 521, and south of Houston. The unit is co-located with the Stringfellow Unit and the Terrell Unit.
The unit opened in July 1908. The Ramsey Prison Farm consisted of five former plantations. In 1935, Ramsey housed African American prisoners. In 1963, before racial desegregation took place, the Ramsey I Unit housed white prisoners.
In 2011, the Central Unit closed. The former truck distribution center at Central moved to Ramsey.
The University of HoustonâÂÂClear Lake offers bachelor's and master's degree programs at Ramsey. Prisoners may pay the State of Texas after their release.
The Texas Legislature designated portions of Angleton ISD that by September 1, 1995 had not been annexed by Alvin Community College as in the Brazosport College zone. As Ramsey Unit is not in the maps of Alvin CC, it is in the Brazosport College zone. There was a section of H.B. No. 2744, filed on March 6, 2007, which would have changed the boundary between Alvin CC and Brazosport CC to put the Ramsey Unit in the Alvin CC service boundary.
Notable inmates of the Ramsey Unit include:
Current ():
Former: