Phelps County Jail
Encyclopedia
Phelps County Jail, located on Park Street between Second and Third Streets, Rolla, Missouri
, was built in 1860 for USD 3,000. The jail was operated by Phelps County
from 1860 to 1912. Union forces, which took over the town in 1861, used the jail for both military and civilian prisoners during the American Civil War
.
Dr. E.A. Stricker presented the jail to the Phelps County Historical Society in 1943. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places
in 1990.
The building's contractor, John A. Schnable, built the structure from solid dolomite
blocks, measuring 22 inches by 22 inches, which were quarried nearby. The lower floor contains two windowless 6 foot by 13 foot stone cells for solitary confinement. The upper floor contains a single room with cages made from iron bars to hold multiple prisoners. The upper floor also includes a wood-burning stove used for heating.
Rolla, Missouri
Rolla is a city in Phelps County, Missouri, United States, midway between the larger cities of St. Louis and Springfield along I-44. The population in the 2010 United States Census was 19,559.It is the county seat of Phelps County...
, was built in 1860 for USD 3,000. The jail was operated by Phelps County
Phelps County, Missouri
Phelps County is a county located in south-central Missouri in the United States.According to the U.S. Census Bureau, it includes the mean center of U.S. population in 2000. As of the 2000 U.S. Census, the county's population was 39,825. A 2008 estimate, however, showed the population to be 42,205....
from 1860 to 1912. Union forces, which took over the town in 1861, used the jail for both military and civilian prisoners during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
.
Dr. E.A. Stricker presented the jail to the Phelps County Historical Society in 1943. It was added to 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...
in 1990.
The building's contractor, John A. Schnable, built the structure from solid dolomite
Dolomite
Dolomite is a carbonate mineral composed of calcium magnesium carbonate CaMg2. The term is also used to describe the sedimentary carbonate rock dolostone....
blocks, measuring 22 inches by 22 inches, which were quarried nearby. The lower floor contains two windowless 6 foot by 13 foot stone cells for solitary confinement. The upper floor contains a single room with cages made from iron bars to hold multiple prisoners. The upper floor also includes a wood-burning stove used for heating.