Built 1837/1879

The Old Jail was built under the same contract as the original log court house. The jail was constructed of layers of 18 inch hewn logs. Two layers were laid horizontally according to the usual method of erecting any log building. The third layer was wedged vertically between the two horizontal layers. There was no doorway downstairs. Prisoners were taken up the outside staircase and locked in the upper room. At night, a heavy trap door was raised and the prisoners were compelled to descend the ladder to the first floor room.

After the door was cut in the first floor, the upper floor became the women’s compartment and the first floor was used for the men. Double iron doors were installed. The inner grated door locked with a key ten inches long and the outer door fastened with a huge padlock. The downstairs room was furnished with a bed as its only piece of furniture. Each room was 10x14 feet and had one window, 10 inches square.

The jail did not burn when the court house burned in 1873. However, a new jail, similar to the original jail was built in 1879. This is the structure that remains standing today. A story is told that one of the last prisoners in the jail was his own keeper. The sheriff, who also ran the Nashville House, gave the prisoner the keys to the jail. He worked on the sheriff’s farm during the daytime, ate his meals at the Nashville House and locked himself up in the jail at night.

(Information from 1972 Brown County Artist Sketchbook)

This Community Building was originally under private ownership and located in Jackson County, west of Michigan Road. It was bought in 1934 by the Community Club of Brown County (a ladies organization), in order to preserve it. The Works Progress Administration (WPA), under President Franklin D. Roosevelt, provided the labor for the dismantling, transport and reconstruction of the building at its new site.

The Community Club raised money for this project and also provided the building site. The building and its grounds were deeded to Brown County in 1960, with the proviso that the building remains available to civic groups without charge or restriction.

(Information from “About Brown County a Sesquicentennial Souvenir Edition by the Brown County Historical Society)