Carbon County Jail

The Carbon County Jail is a historic jail located in Jim Thorpe, Carbon County, Pennsylvania. The jail was built in 1869–1870 and is a two-story, fortress-like rusticated stone building. It has thick, massive walls and a square, one-story guard turret above the main entrance. It features arched windows on the main facade and on the turret. The building is most notable as the jail where a number of suspected "Molly Maguires" were imprisoned while awaiting trial in 1875–1876.[2]

Carbon County Jail
Carbon County Jail, December 2007
Location128 Broadway Street, Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania
Coordinates40°51′50″N 75°44′49″W
Area4.9 acres (2.0 ha)
Built1869–1870
ArchitectHaviland, Edward; Bowman, Henry
NRHP reference No.74001764[1]
Added to NRHPNovember 8, 1974

It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on November 8, 1974.[1] It is located in the Old Mauch Chunk Historic District.

The building is now operated as the Old Jail Museum. In one cell, there is a handprint left by Alexander Campbell, a "Molly Maguire" who was hanged in 1877, to proclaim his innocence. Legend has it that despite many attempts to remove it, including building a new wall, the mark still remains today.[3]

See also

References
  1. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
  2. "National Historic Landmarks & National Register of Historic Places in Pennsylvania". CRGIS: Cultural Resources Geographic Information System. Archived from the original (Searchable database) on 14 September 2005. Note: This includes Sally McMurry (August 1974). 01H.pdf "National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination Form: Carbon County Jail" Check |url= value (help) (PDF). Retrieved 2012-10-30.
  3. O'Donnell, Matt (2007-06-01). "The Ghostly Handprint". An Action News Special Report. ABC News. Archived from the original on 2012-08-12. Retrieved 2007-06-26.
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