Old Maries County Jail - Vienna, Missouri
Posted by: BruceS
N 38° 11.163 W 091° 56.755
15S E 592312 N 4226982
Former jail now museum in Vienna, Missouri
Waymark Code: WMCWMQ
Location: Missouri, United States
Date Posted: 10/19/2011
Views: 9
The Maries County Jail and Sheriffs Residence is located at the intersection of Fifth and Mill streets in Vienna, Missouri. The jail was used 1858 to 1942, when the jail was replaced by a separate facility built under the Works Progress Administration. The building was apparently constructed by a man named Barnhart for $2,500 between 1856 and 1858. It is representative of early law enforcement in the county and represents a fairly rare building design in that the Sheriff's residence also houses the jail. The practice of combining a sheriff's or jailer's residence with jail was prevalent in the mid to late nineteenth century in Missouri. By combining the county jail with living quarters for a sheriff or jailer, one man was able to provide law enforcement for the largely rural population of many Missouri counties. The building is constructed of stone with metal bars. The building is now used as a museum operated by the Maries County Historical Society. There are claims the jail is haunted and voices and scream can be heard of those incarcerated in the past.
The jail is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. - information from the National Register Nomination form.