Kosciusko County Jail

Kosciusko County Jail
Front and side of the Kosciusko County Jail, located at the intersection of Main and Indiana Streets in Warsaw, Indiana, United States.
Interactive map showing the location of Kosciusko County Jail
LocationMain and Indiana Sts., Warsaw, Indiana
Coordinates41°14′19″N 85°51′20″W / 41.23861°N 85.85556°W / 41.23861; -85.85556
Arealess than one acre
Built1870 (1870)
ArchitectGarnsey, George
Architectural styleCastellated Gothic
NRHP reference No.78000036[1]
Added to NRHPDecember 8, 1978

The first Kosciusko County Jail was built in 1837 of 14 inches (36 cm) square logs. It was two stories tall with a trap door from the second story floor to access the ground floor. The next jail was made of brick. Like the first jail, it was located on Courthouse Square. By 1869 this second structure was in serious need of repair.[2] Frequent jail breaks from the second jail, led the county to hire George Garnsey of Chicago to design a new jail. The most notable jailbreak resulted when prisoners pushed bricks out of the wall.[2]

Design

The jail is two stories on an elevated basement. The main entrance is up a flight of steps. Two windows flank the stairs on the basement level. All the windows are double-hung sashes with one-over-one lights.[2]

On the north side a one-story garage was added in 1937. It is the only major alteration of the exterior. The stonework matches the original building. In 1964 the garage was made into office space.[2]

Museum

The building is now owned by the Kosciusko County Historical Society and operated as the Kosciusko County Jail Museum.

See also

References

  1. ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  2. ^ a b c d "Indiana State Historic Architectural and Archaeological Research Database (SHAARD)" (Searchable database). Department of Natural Resources, Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology. Retrieved May 1, 2016. Note: This includes Suzanne Ware (March 1977). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination Form: Kosciusko County Jail" (PDF). Retrieved May 1, 2016. and Accompanying photographs.