Kosciusko County Jail

Location: 121 N. Indiana, Warsaw. (Kosciusko County, Indiana)

Installed: 2003 Indiana Historical Bureau, Kosciusko County Historical Society, Kosciusko County Convention & Visitors Bureau, and The Hall Family

ID# : 43.2003.1

Text

Side one:

This third county jail, including a sheriff's residence, was built 1870 by Richard Epperson. Chicago architect, George O. Garnsey designed it in Neo-Gothic style. Rusticated stonework and turrets create the appearance of a small castle to provide a sense of security and strength. Two-story jail was located behind sheriff's three-story residence.

Side two:

Listed in National Register of Historic Places 1978. Jail closed and building leased to Kosciusko County Historical Society for first county museum 1982. County jails were first established in 1792 under laws of the Northwest Territory; they continued under laws of the Indiana Territory and state constitutions of 1816 and 1851.

Keywords

Government Institutions, Buildings and Architecture

Annotated Text

Side one:

This third county jail, including a sheriff's residence, (1) was built 1870(2) by Richard Epperson.(3) Chicago architect, George O. Garnsey(4) designed it in Neo-Gothic style.(5) Rusticated stonework and turrets create the appearance of a small castle to provide a sense of security and strength.(6) Two-story jail(7) was located behind(8) sheriff's three-story residence.(9)

Side two:

Listed in National Register of Historic Places 1978.(10) Jail closed and building leased to Kosciusko County Historical Society for first county museum 1982.(11) County jails were first established in 1792 under laws of the Northwest Territory; they continued under laws of the Indiana Territory and state constitutions of 1816 and 1851.(12)

Notes:

(1) Record of the Board of County Commissioners, April Special Session, 1869, p. 206.

(2) Kosciusko County Interim Report (Indianapolis, March 1991), 55.

(3) Record of the Board of County Commissioners, 192.

(4) Record of the Board of County Commissioners, 137, 185.

(5) Cyril M. Harris, ed., Historic Architecture Sourcebook (New York, 1977), 372.

(6) Harris, 174.

(7) Record of the Board of County Commissioners, 195.

(8) Combination Atlas of Kosciusko County, ([Chicago], 1879).

(9) Record of the Board of County Commissioners, 206.

(10) Historic Indiana, 1999-2000, (Indianapolis, 2000), 29.

(11) September 7, 1982 Lease Agreement.

(12) Standard marker text for county jails.