By Cole Davis
Riverbend News
Keeping with the theme of past articles about the historical buildings of our North Florida counties, this piece will go into the architectural significance of the Old Hamilton County Jail in Jasper. Despite its somewhat dire purpose, the old jail is something to admire. Built in 1893 and designed by P.J. Pauly of St. Louis, Mo., the building on 501 Northeast 1st Avenue in Jasper served as Hamilton County’s jail for almost 100 years. Not only that, it also served as the residence for the county sheriff and his family for most of that time.
The jail is a product of a time when European and American architects were looking back into the early middle ages when European nations were blossoming out of the collapse of the Roman Empire. The architectural result of this quest for medieval inspiration has come to be known as “Romanesque Revival.” The old jail’s brick walls, arched windows and steeple are all hallmarks of the Romanesque design. For comparison, the main building of the Smithsonian Institute in Washington D.C. was designed with the same Romanesque inspiration in mind.
When looking at the two structures together it is easy to see how their designs share a common source and how they are both part of a unique artistic era in American history.
The old jail, like many of our courthouses and other seemingly ancient buildings, goes to show you that there are important places of interest in our very own backyards if you know where to look! Today, the old jail serves as the location for the Hamilton County historical museum and it is listed on the National Registry of Historic Places.