Allen County Jail
Encyclopedia
The Allen County Jail is a former jail
in Iola
, Kansas
, United States
. Built in the late 1860s, it operated as a detention facility for nearly a century before a replacement opened; today, it is a local history museum, and it has been designated a historic site
.
structure, two stories
tall and constructed of large blocks of limestone
. Its walls are approximately 2 foot (0.6096 m) thick. As originally designed, the jail contained living space for the jailer on the second story and prison space on the first story; the cells were built of steel bars and placed on the solid stone floor. The facade includes two second-story windows and a central door on the first story. Although it was called the finest jail in southeastern Kansas at the time of its completion, it was never secure; over the course of its history, many prisoners escaped by removing bars from windows or cutting holes in the roof.
lacked a jail for its initial years. The situation was resolved in 1868 after voters approved a $10,000 bond
for the erection of a jail in Iola. Under the direction of the local contractors
White and Hays, the building was finished in October of the following year at a price of $8,400; it was the first public building to be erected by the county government. Due to its reputation as the region's best jail, two other southeastern Kansas counties contracted with Allen County to use the structure for their own prisoners during the 1870s.
passed a law to permit the county to convey
to the Allen County Historical Society, which has since converted it into a museum.
In 1971, the jail was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
because of its significant place in local history; key to its inclusion was its place as the first building erected by Allen County and its service as a rural jail for nearly ninety years. It was Allen County's only National Register property for over twenty-five years, until Iola's Northrup House was added to the Register in 1997.
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 Iola
Iola, Kansas
Iola is a city situated along the Neosho River in the northwestern part of Allen County, located in Southeast Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 5,704. Iola is the county seat of Allen County. It is named in honor of Iola Colborn.-History:The...
, Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Built in the late 1860s, it operated as a detention facility for nearly a century before a replacement opened; today, it is a local history museum, and it has been designated a historic site
Historic site
A historic site is an official location where pieces of political, military or social history have been preserved. Historic sites are usually protected by law, and many have recognized with the official national historic site status...
.
Structure
The jail is a stone rubble masonryRubble masonry
Rubble masonry is rough, unhewn building stone set in mortar, but not laid in regular courses. It may appear as the outer surface of a wall or may fill the core of a wall which is faced with unit masonry such as brick or cut stone....
structure, two stories
Storey
A storey or story is any level part of a building that could be used by people...
tall and constructed of large blocks of limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
. Its walls are approximately 2 foot (0.6096 m) thick. As originally designed, the jail contained living space for the jailer on the second story and prison space on the first story; the cells were built of steel bars and placed on the solid stone floor. The facade includes two second-story windows and a central door on the first story. Although it was called the finest jail in southeastern Kansas at the time of its completion, it was never secure; over the course of its history, many prisoners escaped by removing bars from windows or cutting holes in the roof.
Early history
As a result of disputes between residents of different areas of the county, Allen CountyAllen County, Kansas
Allen County is a county located in southeast Kansas, in the central United States of America. As of the 2010 census, the county population was 13,371...
lacked a jail for its initial years. The situation was resolved in 1868 after voters approved a $10,000 bond
Municipal bond
A municipal bond is a bond issued by a city or other local government, or their agencies. Potential issuers of municipal bonds includes cities, counties, redevelopment agencies, special-purpose districts, school districts, public utility districts, publicly owned airports and seaports, and any...
for the erection of a jail in Iola. Under the direction of the local contractors
General contractor
A general contractor is responsible for the day-to-day oversight of a construction site, management of vendors and trades, and communication of information to involved parties throughout the course of a building project.-Description:...
White and Hays, the building was finished in October of the following year at a price of $8,400; it was the first public building to be erected by the county government. Due to its reputation as the region's best jail, two other southeastern Kansas counties contracted with Allen County to use the structure for their own prisoners during the 1870s.
Recent history
By the middle of the twentieth century, the original design of the jail had become insufficient for the county's needs. No more did the jailer live in the jail; the first floor cells were abandoned, and the prisoners were confined to the second floor. In the late 1950s, county officials came to the decision that a new jail was needed; a contract for the construction of such a structure was signed in early 1957, and the new jail opened in January 1959. During this process, many local citizens expressed a desire to see the old jail preserved; the 1957 Kansas LegislatureKansas Legislature
The Kansas Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Kansas. It is a bicameral assembly, composed of the lower Kansas House of Representatives, composed of 125 Representatives, and the upper Kansas Senate, with 40 Senators...
passed a law to permit the county to convey
Conveyancing
In law, conveyancing is the transfer of legal title of property from one person to another, or the granting of an encumbrance such as a mortgage or a lien....
to the Allen County Historical Society, which has since converted it into a museum.
In 1971, the jail was listed on 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...
because of its significant place in local history; key to its inclusion was its place as the first building erected by Allen County and its service as a rural jail for nearly ninety years. It was Allen County's only National Register property for over twenty-five years, until Iola's Northrup House was added to the Register in 1997.
Further reading
- Duncan, L. Wallace, and Charles F. Scott, eds. History of Allen and Woodson Counties, Kansas. IolaIola, KansasIola is a city situated along the Neosho River in the northwestern part of Allen County, located in Southeast Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 5,704. Iola is the county seat of Allen County. It is named in honor of Iola Colborn.-History:The...
: Iola Register, 1901. - Lynn, Emerson. "Historic Jail to Close". Kansas City Star, 1957-03-20.