|
Beauregard Parish Jail
|
|
|
|
|
| Location: | Courthouse Square DeRidder, Louisiana |
|---|---|
| Built: | 1914 |
| Architect: | Steven-Nelson |
| Governing body: | Beauregard Parish Police Jury |
| NRHP Reference#: | [1] |
| Added to NRHP: | December 17, 1981 |
The Beauregard Parish Courthouse[2] was the answer to a need for a new Parish. DeRidder beat out Singer for the location of the parish seat. The courthouse was built at the same time as the Beauregard Parish Jail, by the same people, and completed around the same time in 1915, as directed by the Beauregard Parish Police Jury.
The courthouse and jail are also part of the Historic Downtown district of DeRidder that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
Contents |
The Hudson River Lumber Company donated a tract of land to the City of DeRidder. Property that adjoined this tract was owned by the First Baptist Church. The newly formed Beauregard Parish Police Jury, carved out of the old Imperial Calcasieu Parish,[3] purchased the property and a building from the church. Stevens-Nelson of New Orleans was chosen to design a courthouse and jail. Falls City Construction Company was awarded the contract in September 1913. Both buildings were completed in 1915 at a cost of $168,000.[4]
This grand old structure has a lighted tunnel leading to the jail. It was incorporated into the design to facilitate the transfer of accused or prisoners to and from the jail to stand trial while maintaining safety. The tunnel is no longer in use as the jail is empty awaiting a fate as yet undetermined.
A trial that ended in two hangings in the Beauregard Parish Jail took place at the courthouse. This gave rise to the name "Hanging Jail" but any notoriety concerning the courthouse was lost after the hanging on March 9, 1928.
The Courthouse is still in use today by the parish and courts. There is not any knowledge or speculation of building a new one which certainly would involve a new location.
|
||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||