Hays County Jail - San Marcos, TX
Posted by: 
vhasler
N 29° 52.828 W 097° 56.540
14R E 602134 N 3306009
The old Hays County Jail typifies Texas penal construction of a two-story block building. It is currently vacant surrounded by fencing, and being very slowly renovated.
Waymark Code: WMK7TT
Location: Texas, United States
Date Posted: 02/25/2014
Views: 5
From the NRHP application, we learn that
The County Commissioners met on Valentine's Day, 1884, to sign a contract for the construction of the new jail on the same lot as the one built in 1873. Edward Northcraft and B. F. Donalson were given until August 12 to complete their task, for which $11,500 had been allocated. Specifications were firm. The jail was to be constructed of the best stone, brick, and lumber.
This dollar amount would be valued as $252,000 cash today using a straight GDP factor. However, relative to typical wages, the project would be worth $1.5-3 million today. What government has constructed a new local jail for that cost?
The application goes on to state Hays County's only official hanging was held in the jailyard on April 9, 1915. One Benjamin Guerrero is reported to have puffed a cigar and quipped "Fine show, no?" to the crowd just before his execution. The jail lasted until 1937, when frequent breakouts and repairs necessitated a new one.
While reportedly used for storage until early 1990s, the limestone block and inside brick jail has been vacant with several groups envisioning renovation for a community function. However, today it remains empty surrounded by a chain-link fence, thus can only be viewed from a short distance.