Old Garrard County Jail, Historical museum in Lancaster, Kentucky.
The Old Garrard County Jail is a two-story structure with four bays, framed windows, and decorative cornices in the Italianate style. The building maintains its original prison architecture while now serving as an educational museum with authentic jail cells on display.
Built in 1873 by architects Edwin May and J.S. Goshern, the structure served as a county detention facility until its closure in 1986. After decades in operation, it was converted to a museum to preserve the history of local criminal justice.
The museum holds military artifacts and documents about the USS Garrard, along with exhibits showing how law enforcement practices changed over time in the region. Visitors can see what role this facility played in maintaining local order.
The museum offers guided tours through original jail cells and historical exhibits that help visitors understand how a typical county detention facility operated. It is helpful to allow time to explore all areas, as the exhibits are spread across different levels of the building.
The building retains hidden chambers and structures from its original construction that reveal how prisons were designed in earlier times. These architectural features offer insight into forgotten security measures and prison design practices from the 1800s.
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