"The Chattahoochee County Jail is located on Mt. Olive and Boyd Street in Cusseta, Georgia. The property was purchased by the county government in 1854. This two story brick structure with a metal roof was built in 1902 to replace a wooden jail that had been in use since 1855. The exterior shows evidence of Romanesque influence in its arched window and door openings, and the extended second story of the central bay.
On June 14, 1902, the county contracted with the Pauly Jail and Manufacturing Company of St. Louis, Missouri to construct the jail for $5,000. The second floor has the original pre-fabricated iron jail cell.
Until the state penitentiary was opened in 1911, there was no place to house prisoners above the county level. Thus, the county jail was a very important penal institution.
This jail served the county until 1975. On March 13, 1986 the jail was placed on the national register. The Chattahoochee County Historic Preservation Society, Inc. continues in the restoration of the jail."
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From the historical marker at the site:
Side 1
Constructed in 1902, this two-story fireproof facility was built to replace the previous two-story log jail. The Paul Jail and Manufacturing Company of St. Louis, Missouri constructed the fail for $5,000. Romanesque influences such as the arched windows and door openings with an extended central bay enhance the exterior appearance of the building. The original prefabricated iron cells, with unique corner fireplaces, are located on the second floor. The jail served the county until 1975. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on March 13, 1986.
Side 2
This jail is situated on property that was purchased soon after the county was created on February 13, 1854. Mr. Asbury Bryan was paid $1,250 for the original two-story jail that was completed by July 20, 1855, under the supervision of Sheriff Silas Brown. The dimensions of the log structure were eighteen by twenty-two feet with fifteen inches separating the double walls. The jail was used continuously until the new facility was completed in 1902. At that time LaFayette Harp served as sheriff.