The Perry County Jail, also known as the Perry County Jail Museum, is a history museum and historic jail in

Pinckneyville, Illinois Pinckneyville is a city in and the county seat of Perry County, Illinois, United States. The population was 5,066 at the 2020 census. It is named for Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, an early American diplomat and presidential candidate. Pinckney ...

. Built in 1871, the jail was the second county jail used by Perry County. The county's first jail was built in 1833-34 and was demolished to make room for the new jail; it was a two-story brick building measuring on the interior, and it cost $750 to build. The legislature passed two separate private laws to enable Perry County to obtain funds for the second jail's construction: one in 1865 to permit a

tax levy A tax levy under United States federal law is an administrative action by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) under statutory authority, generally without going to court, to seize property to satisfy a tax liability. The levy "includes the power ...

, and the other in 1867 to permit the issuance of bonds. Although the county quickly solicited architects' plans upon being permitted to issue bonds, four years passed before they announced their choice of the design created by

Cincinnati Cincinnati ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located at the northern side of the confluence of the Licking and Ohio rivers, the latter of which marks the state line wit ...

architect

Samuel Hannaford Samuel Hannaford (10 April 1835 – 7 January 1911) was an American architect based in Cincinnati, Ohio. Some of the best known landmarks in the city, such as Music Hall and City Hall, were of his design. The bulk of Hannaford's work was do ...

. The contractor was chosen in May, a superintendent named in July, and the building deemed complete in December. The new brick jail was built by contractor E. Hough of

Indianapolis Indianapolis (), colloquially known as Indy, is the state capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the seat of Marion County. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the consolidated population of Indianapolis and Marion ...

for $14,150. The county sheriff's residence was attached to the jail, an arrangement which allowed the sheriff to oversee the jail at all times. The county used the jail until 1987, when a newer jail was built. The building housed county offices until 1993, when the Perry County Historical Society leased the building for a museum. The building was added to 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 ...

on August 10, 2000. It is one of two properties in Perry County on the National Register, along with the

Du Quoin State Fairgrounds The Du Quoin State Fairgrounds are located in the city of Du Quoin in Perry County, Illinois, United States. The fairgrounds are located along U.S. Route 51 north of Illinois Route 14. The facilities include the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds Racetra ...

in Du Quoin.

Notes

External links

Perry County Jail Museum
- Southern Illinois Association of Museums
Perry County Jail Museum
- Facebook site Samuel Hannaford buildings Jails on the National Register of Historic Places in Illinois Buildings and structures in Perry County, Illinois Museums in Perry County, Illinois History museums in Illinois National Register of Historic Places in Perry County, Illinois Jails in Illinois {{Illinois-museum-stub