Old Muhlenberg County Jail

The Old Muhlenberg County Jail is a three-story stucco structure with a red tile roof built in Spanish Colonial Revival style. The building features covered porches at multiple entrances, each with curved rooflines and small decorative vents typical of the Mission-style approach.

Built in 1912 as the town's third correctional facility, it served for decades before being added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1985. Its preservation since then reflects the regional value placed on maintaining early 20th-century public buildings.

The building shows how jails in Kentucky were designed and built in the 1910s, with elements that balanced security and a certain aesthetic vision. The use of stucco and tile roofing was uncommon for public buildings of that type during this period.

The building sits on Court Row in the heart of Greenville's historic center and is easy to locate. Keep in mind that as a protected historic structure, the exterior is what visitors can observe and appreciate during a walk through town.

The three matching covered porches with curved rooflines give this jail a symmetry rarely seen in correctional buildings of that era. This design choice was more typical of public buildings meant to project civic importance than of functional detention facilities.

Location: Greenville

Architectural style: Spanish Colonial Revival architecture

GPS coordinates: 37.20000,-87.17780

Latest update: December 14, 2025 17:40