Washington County Jail (Oregon)
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| Washington County Jail | |
|---|---|
| (U.S. National Register of Historic Places) | |
| Location: | Washington County, Oregon |
| Nearest city: | Hillsboro, Oregon |
| Built/Founded: | 1853 |
| Added to NRHP: | July 31, 1986 |
| Governing body: | Washington County Museum |
The Washington County Jail was built in 1853. This one room jail was used until 1870 and is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is housed inside the Washington County Museum in Washington County, Oregon, United States.
Contents |
[edit] History
In 1853 the first Washington County Jail opened.[1] It was built at Fourth and Washington Streets in Hillsboro, Oregon by William Brown for a cost of $900.[1] During its use, two people died while confined to the jail, and a baby was born after it ceased being used as a jail.[1] One of those dieing in the jail was former Hudson’s Bay Company employee William Burris who killed his family in 1855 in a drunken rage.[2] However, despite rumors, American Civil War General Ulysses S. Grant was not jailed here while he was posted to Oregon before the Civil War.[1]
Then in 1870 the building was sold to the Cave family.[1] They lived in it briefly while their house was built, and then used the structure as an outbuilding.[1] In 1953 the structure was moved to the Washington County Fairgrounds where it remained until 2003. Beginning in 2003, the building was restored at a cost of $75,000 and relocated from the county fairgrounds to the Washington County Museum.[1]
[edit] Structure
The one room, 160 square foot wooden structure weighs 12,000 pounds.[1] Washington County Jail is sixteen feet long, nine feet wide, and twelve feet tall.[2] The jail was built in three months using Douglas fir timbers.[1] The building originally housed a bucket, ankle chains, and straw mattresses.[2]
[edit] Currently
In 1986 the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places.[3] Then in 2003 the building was disassembled and restored.[1] Next, in 2004, the jail was re-assembled inside the Washington County Museum where it currently sits as a permanent exhibit, preserved in the climate controlled environment .[1]
[edit] External links
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- Street map from MapQuest or Google Maps
- Topographic map from TopoZone
- Aerial image from TerraServer-USA
