Lincoln Heights Jail

Lincoln Heights Jail is a five-story Art Deco building in Los Angeles with approximately 229,000 square feet (21,300 square meters) of space near the Los Angeles River. The structure displays the industrial architecture of its era and continues to shape the neighborhood's character.

The building was constructed in 1931 and operated as a jail until 1965, playing a significant role in the city's criminal justice system during those decades. After closure, the structure found new purpose as a cultural space.

The building housed the Bilingual Foundation of the Arts from 1979 to 2014, which supported Latino theater productions and gave space to local artists. This transformation showed how a former detention facility became a place for creative expression.

The building is located on North Avenue 19 in Lincoln Heights and is accessible by public transit. Visitors should know that interior access is not always available for public viewing.

The facility was one of the first to have a separate section specifically for gay inmates, reflecting an early approach to specialized housing within the prison system. This designated area represented a forward-thinking practice for its era.

Location: California

Inception: 1931

Official opening: 1931

GPS coordinates: 34.07750,-118.22500

Latest update: December 10, 2025 15:57