The Granite County Jail was constructed in 1896, three years after Granite County was carved from two adjacent counties and Philipsburg made the county seat. The town served as hub to extensive area mining and, later, ranching. The jail was the first major public building constructed for county use, reflecting early desire for law and order. This stately building contains jail space, the sheriff’s office, and the sheriff’s residence. It was constructed for an estimated $8,000 using features from several architectural styles. The jail’s dominant feature is a medieval tower above the arched portico. Its bricked-over windows, intriguingly, were part of the original creation. The dark brick was locally fired and the rough-cut granite locally quarried. Renovated successfully to current standards, this remains one of Montana’s oldest jails still serving its original function.
From the NRHP Plaque
Granite County Jail, Sheriff’s Office and Residence
East Kearney Street
Architect: Grant S. Williams
Built: 1896
Built at an estimated cost of $8,000, this eclectic combination jail and sheriff’s residence was built for Philipsburg in 1896. The brick building is an assemblage of rectangular blocks that vary in height from one to two stories.
Numerous interior corbelled chimneys punctuate the rooflines. There are hip roofs on the jail and office and a gable-on-hip roof on
the residence. While the gable is accented with a wood cutout sunburst, the focus of the building is the jail entrance on the south façade. It is set within a square entry tower accentuated with bartizans, a steeply hipped roof with flagpole, and the word “JAIL” carved in a stone panel above an arched entrance. A pedimented, 1-story entry east of the tower accesses the residence. The building was renovated by the early 1980s, and continues to serve as a jail and sheriff’s office.
To the east across the parking lot is a root cellar, faced on the west side with a stone wall of pitch-faced granite laid in random rubble
courses. This same wall defines the perimeter of the property and serves as a retaining wall for the lawn surrounding the jail.
From Vernacular Architecture in Montana