Washington County Jail (Oregon)

Infobox_nrhp | name = Washington County Jail


caption =
location = Washington County, Oregon
nearest_city = Hillsboro, Oregon
lat_degrees = 45
lat_minutes = 33
lat_seconds = 59
lat_direction = N
long_degrees = 122
long_minutes = 51
long_seconds = 27
long_direction = W
locmapin=Oregon
built = 1853
added = July 31, 1986
governing_body = Washington County MuseumThe Washington County Jail is a wood, one-room jail previously used in Oregon. It was built in 1853 and was used until 1870. In 1986, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and is now housed inside the Washington County Museum in Washington County, Oregon, United States.

History

In 1853, the first Washington County Jail opened.Mandel, Michelle. A lockup to lure ‘em in. "The Oregonian", May 13 2004.] It was built at Fourth and Washington Streets in Hillsboro, Oregon by William Brown for a cost of $900. During its use, two people died while confined to the jail, and a baby was born after it ceased being used as a jail. One of those dying in the jail was former Hudson’s Bay Company employee William Burris who killed his family in 1855 in a drunken rage. However, despite rumors, American Civil War General Ulysses S. Grant was not jailed here while he was posted to Oregon before the Civil War.

In 1870, the building was sold to the Cave family. They lived in it briefly while their house was built, and then used the structure as an outbuilding. 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.

Currently

In 1986, the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places. [cite web | title = Oregon National Register List | publisher = Oregon Parks & Recreation Dept.: Heritage Programs: National Register | url= http://www.oregon.gov/OPRD/HCD/NATREG/docs/oregon_nr_list.pdf | format = PDF |accessdate=2008-02-28 ] Then in 2003 the building was disassembled and restored. 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.

tructure

The one room, 160 square foot wooden structure weighs 12,000 pounds. Washington County Jail is sixteen feet long, nine feet wide, and twelve feet tall.Gunderson, Laura. The price of history. "The Oregonian", February 20 2003.] The jail was built in three months using Douglas fir timbers. The building originally housed a bucket, ankle chains, and straw mattresses.

External links

* [http://www.ojd.state.or.us/wsh/img/old%20jail.jpgPicture of the jail]

References