Old Jefferson County Jail - Monticello, FL
N 30° 32.760 W 083° 52.348
17R E 224430 N 3382801
The Old Jefferson County Jail is currently the home of the Jefferson County Elections Office. In 2010, it was leased by Main Street Monticello and is undergoing restoration for future use as a museum. This former jail is reported to be haunted!
Waymark Code: WMBWA8
Location: Florida, United States
Date Posted: 06/26/2011
Views: 1
"The Jefferson County Commission has agreed to lease the major part of the old jail on Dogwood Street to Main Street to be used for non-profit offices and a museum. Later we hope to have use of the entire building. The cells and important parts of the jail are intact and definitely scary. We believe they will be a great attraction for visitors.
Main Street has already begun to write grants to refurbish the building, and plans to furnish the main floor as the Sheriff’s family residence would have appeared in the 1930s.
Docents will be trained to explain the history of the main building and the tiny "women’s jail" in the back yard. They will tell visitors about the sheriff’s wife cooking for the prisoners and taking the sheriff’s place when he was killed.
There is an interesting story of an attempted escape from the main building and another of an attempted escape from the sweat-box that ended in accidental suicide."
-- Source
A brochure available at the Monticello/Jefferson Chamber of Commerce titled "Welcome to Monticello, Florida" reads: "Jails are known venues for haunting and the old Jefferson County Jail is no exception. When this jail was built is a mystery. We know it wasn't shown on an 1885 map, yet it was mentioned during the dedication of the "new" Court House in 1908, but otherwise the records of its construction have been lost. The jail was unique in that prisoners were housed on the top floor, the sheriff lived on the ground floor and the basement (yes it has three stories) was used for storage. The small two story building in back was the women's jail. Even though it hasn't housed prisoners for over fifty years, sounds of moaning and cell doors rattling can often be heard coming from inside."