The Junction City Historical Society website (link below) highlights the move and relocation of its first city jail:
Junction City's "New" Prison
OCTOBER 10, 1998 - There's been much talk lately about building a new prison south of Junction City near Milliron Road; but today Junction City's very first "prison" got a new lease on life as it was moved to the lot where the Pitney house is being restored. Here's how it came about.
On May 31, 1873 one of the first contracts let by the newly incorporated city was awarded to Thomas Humphry to build a city prison. Humphry's bid was for $84.33. The prison was built on the Northeast corner of 8th and Greenwood Streets, about where the current library's parking lot is, where it remained until the thirties.
In 1996 it was re-discovered on a piece of property recently acquired by Guaranty; and the Historical Society began plans to have it moved to the lot where the Pitney house stands.
On Saturday, October 10 1998, with the help of Guaranty and Chris Shoap House Movers, all their plans came together as the "prison" was moved to it's new location at 4th and Holly Streets.
The 10'x14' one room prison is constructed of rough cut 2x4s that are laid flat, one on top of the other, forming solid walls that are six feet high. There are 4 windows that measure 10''x10''. There are six iron bars in each window.
Legend has it that the first prisoner was sent to the slammer for disobeying the no swine at large law! (There is no firm evidence that this is true - but it makes a great story!
A foundation will be built and the building placed on it in the near future. The public is invited to view the building from the ally behind the Pitney house. It will be refurbished (along with the Pitney house) by volunteers and eventually opened to the public as an extension of the museum.
Junction City’s First Jail
Junction City was incorporated as a town on October 29, 1872 by an act of the Oregon Legislative Assembly. One of the first contracts let by the city was awarded May, 1873 to Thomas Humphrey to build a city jail which was completed at a cost of $84.37.
In 1878, the City Council entered into a contract to build a City Hall for $350.00 on the southwest corner of 6th Avenue and Greenwood Street. “As the city grew, a “city hall” was built and the main room on the first floor was the engine room where the hook and ladder, hose, reel and other fire fighting apparatus was kept, while in the rear was the stable where a good team of horses was always in readiness for the engine when a fire alarm was given.”
In his book, “Early Days of Junction City, Oregon,” 1978, Chris T. Wilde mentions the jail at least four times:
Page 16, “The 1873 tiny red jail, and the old white two-story city hall....”
Page 29, Greenwood Street, “...two-storied, white City Hall was north across the street. Then came the tiny red jail...”
Page 219, “The tiny, red jail was built for $84.37, by Thomas Humphrey. It stood on the north side of the present U.S. Bank's parking lot. The city hall was built just south of it, March 14, 1879, for $350 by S. Stanus. The jail, intact, was moved to what is now Ben Kokkeler's residence on High Pass Rd. It serves now as a pump house. It is over one hundred years old.”
Page 426, “The two-storied white city hall was built on the very corner of Sixth Avenue and Greenwood, in 1878, by S. Stanus for $350. The tiny red jail, was back off the street, just north of the hall on Greenwood, built around 1873... The bank building was built in 1912 (on the NW corner of 6th & Greenwood). The City Hall was moved to Eighth and Greenwood. A new jail, built of 2 x 4s nailed flat and laminated, was built back of the city hall, on the alley. It was used until 1931 when the new [current] city hall incorporated a jail. This [1912] jail was burned down. The city hall was taken down, around 1938.”
The Nill family of Guaranty Chevrolet donated this building to the Junction City Historical Society when they bought the property on West 1st Avenue and High Pass Road to use for their business purposes.