Porter County Jail and Sheriff's House
Encyclopedia
Porter County Jail and Sheriff’s House are located southeast of the County Courthouse in Valparaiso, Indiana
. Overtime, the needs of the county grew and these original structures were replaced by a new jail in 1974, just south of the original jail on Franklin Street. By 2000, the county again needed more space for the jail and for the Sheriff’s Department. A new facility was built and opened in 2004 south of Valparaiso on S.R. 49
just south of the intersection with U.S. 30.
The historic Porter County Jail is the home of the Historical Society of Porter County. It is located at 153 South Franklin, Valparaiso, Indiana
on the southeast corner across from the Courthouse Square. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. The jail serves as the County History Museum with artifacts and displays from around the county. Included is a mastodon tusk, which was found locally. Mullins; pg. 73.
Valparaiso, Indiana
Valparaiso is a city in and the county seat of Porter County, Indiana, United States. The population was 31,730 at the 2010 census, making it the 2nd largest city in Porter County.-History:...
. Overtime, the needs of the county grew and these original structures were replaced by a new jail in 1974, just south of the original jail on Franklin Street. By 2000, the county again needed more space for the jail and for the Sheriff’s Department. A new facility was built and opened in 2004 south of Valparaiso on S.R. 49
Indiana State Road 49
State Road 49 in the U.S. State of Indiana is a state highway in northwest Indiana. It runs from just north of Chesterton at the intersection with U.S. Route 12 south to a rural interchange 10 miles northeast of Rensselaer with State Road 14...
just south of the intersection with U.S. 30.
Porter County Jail
The jail was added to the residence around 1871 for a combined cost of $26,500. Prior to its construction, prisoners were taken to LaPorte County. Designed by R. Rose using Gothic Revival styling with a showing of strength and a commanding presence in the community, Shad and Lembke were the builders. A new jail was opened in 1974 and this facility closed.The historic Porter County Jail is the home of the Historical Society of Porter County. It is located at 153 South Franklin, Valparaiso, Indiana
Valparaiso, Indiana
Valparaiso is a city in and the county seat of Porter County, Indiana, United States. The population was 31,730 at the 2010 census, making it the 2nd largest city in Porter County.-History:...
on the southeast corner across from the Courthouse Square. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. The jail serves as the County History Museum with artifacts and displays from around the county. Included is a mastodon tusk, which was found locally. Mullins; pg. 73.
Sheriff's Residence
The sheriff’s residence was built in 1860. Originally, a log stockade was directly behind the house and served as the holding cell for prisoners.Mullins; pg. 11. The structure is Italianate in design. It is located on East Indiana Ave, which was Mechanic Street when the house was built. The building is accessible through the Historical Society of Porter County’s Museum located in the Historic County Jail on Franklin Street. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. The residence is decorated to the early 1900s. Mullins; pg. 72.Sources
- Mullins, Lanette; Images of America; Valparaiso – Looking Back, Moving Forward; Arcadia Publishing; Chicago, Illinois; 2002
- Neeley, George E.; City of Valparaiso, A Pictorial History; G. Bradley Publishing, Inc.; St. Louis, Missouri; 1989
- Porter County Interim Report, Indiana Historic Sites and Structures Inventory; Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana; July 1991