The Old Vanderburgh County Jail, commonly referred to as "the Old Jail," was built in 1890 in

Evansville, Indiana Evansville is a city in, and the county seat of, Vanderburgh County, Indiana, United States. The population was 118,414 at the 2020 census, making it the state's third-most populous city after Indianapolis and Fort Wayne, the largest city in ...

. The Old Jail is listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...

. The Old Jail consists of two different structures that are attached: (1) the actual jail and (2) the

former Vanderburgh County sheriff's residence Former Vanderburgh County Sheriff's Residence is a historic jail and sheriff's residence located in downtown Evansville, Indiana. It was built in 1891, and is a -story, rusticated limestone building modeled after Schloss Lichtenstein. It feature ...

Architecture

The Old Jail is rich in exquisite examples of 19th century

American architecture The architecture of the United States demonstrates a broad variety of architectural styles and built forms over the country's history of over two centuries of independence and former Spanish and British rule. Architecture in the United States h ...

. The stone building itself is designed to invoke fear in the observer. Its exterior consists of step-gables, projecting turrets, crenelated roof lines, simulated portcullis, and a central keep, or rounded tower. The entrance presents pointed arches to lengthen the appearance of this part of the building. All of these elements add to the castle-like appearance of the structure. The Old Jail is modeled after Lichtenstein Castle. It was designed by architect Henry Wolters, who was also the architect responsible for designing the

Old Vanderburgh County Courthouse The Old Vanderburgh County Courthouse, often simply called the "Old Courthouse," was once the center of Vanderburgh County, Indiana government. Construction started in the spring of 1888 and was completed in November 1890. The building was ready to ...

. Both structures were built at the same time and still have a tunnel that connects them. The tunnel can still be accessed from Woods & Woods law office.

History

The Old Vanderburgh County Jail was completed in 1890 and housed inmates until 1967. It sat empty and dilapidated until renovations started in the 1990s. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1970. The Old Jail was the site of a race-riot in 1903 after an African-American male shot a white police officer. The violence raged throughout the night and by morning on July 5, 1903, 12 people were dead. One of the deceased was a 12-year-old-girl who was accidentally shot in her parents' carriage. 300 state militia members were sent to Evansville after the governor declared martial law.

Notable Inmates

Leslie Irvin, a.k.a. "Mad Dog," was a serial killer that terrorized

southwestern Indiana Southwestern Indiana is an 11-county region of southern Indiana, United States located at the southernmost and westernmost part of the state. As of the 2010 census, the region's combined population is 474,251. Evansville, Indiana's third-largest ...

from December 2, 1954 to March 28, 1955. His case went to the

U.S. Supreme Court The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) is the highest court in the federal judiciary of the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all U.S. federal court cases, and over state court cases that involve a point o ...

and set legal precedence for pre-trial publicity.

Current Use

Following several years of renovations in the late 1990s, the Old Jail was brought back to her former glory. The Old Jail is now the headquarters of Woods & Woods veterans disability benefits attorneys.

References

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