1881 Freestone County Jail

This building, which served as the third county jail, was built in 1881 on the site of the 1857 jail. Physical and archival evidence suggests that this two-story jail and its associated water well were built with brick from locally fired clay, recycled from the earlier jail. Exterior walls are 18 inches thick. The original design incorporated two prison cells and housing for the jailer. From 1914-66, the building housed a multi-family residence. Area citizens bought the property in 1966 to house a county historical museum. From 2012-21, the jail was restored to its 1880s appearance. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1967