Old Cooper County Hanging Barn - Boonville MO - Punishment and Disciplinary Devices on Waymarking.com

There is a $5 charge to tour the old Cooper County Jail and hanging barn. The guide mentioned when hanging was still legal in Missouri that the 13 steps to the gallows was a state law.



"On January 31st, 1930, Lawrence Mabry, 19, climbed the 13 steps to the loft and was “hung by the neck until dead” for a robbery and killing in Pettis County. This hanging was a contributing factor in the elimination of the county capitol punishment. In 1971, the Jail Barn became the first restoration project of the newly created Friends of Historic Boonville.

Every cell has its own history, its own stories to tell. The graffiti-carved limestone rock walls stand as silent witnesses to a way of life beyond our comprehension.

The cells are empty now. But with a little imagination, you can hear the footsteps of the sheriff as he walks across the floor to one of the cell doors. The huge jailer’s keys clang against each other. There is a pause and then the sound of a brass key entering one of the old iron locks. For some, it turns to the right, opening the door and letting them out, giving them a second chance. For others, the key turns to the left, closing the door behind them, sealing their fate.

In 1978, a Federal Court declared the Cooper County Jail “cruel and unusual punishment” closing the cell doors permanently, bringing to an end an era of Boonville and Cooper County history. The generosity of the Kemper Foundation of Kansas City and the restoration efforts of the Friends of Historic Boonville have insured that this history will not be forgotten"

Type of Device: gallows What is the approximate age?: 01/01/1878 How do you rate this item?: Associated Website: [Web Link]

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Date Logged Log   12/27/2021 YoSam. visited it