County Jail
— Davidsonville Historic State Park —
Jail Construction
Trials of the accused and incarceration of the guilty are two functions of a county seat, so the building of a jail was paired with that of the courthouse. The funds to pay for its construction also came from the sale of public lands. The jail probably was made of brick or stone, although no records remain to confirm this. The location of the jail is based on archival records and archeological remains.
Court Records
The first mention of the Davidsonville
jail appears in court records on July 7,
1818, when the court paid an allowance
for bringing a prisoner “to Jail.” Other
mentions of the jail in court records
refer to repair and maintenance of the
building and care of the prisoners.
Types of crimes that resulted in jailing
included theft (usually of livestock),
murder, and unpaid debt.
Jail Artifacts
Artifacts found here include building
fragments, such as brick, window glass,
and square nails. Less expected were the
kitchen artifacts that include fragments
of redware vessels used to prepare and
store food, broken ceramic tableware,
and part of a cast iron kettle. These items
undoubtedly were used to prepare and
serve meals to the prisoners and jailers.
Captions:
Left: Surveyor's description and plat of the
this page online
Middle: The jail at Davidsonville might have had a door like this one at Powhatan Historic State Park 8 miles south on Arkansas Highway 25.
Right: A holding cell from the interior of the Powhatan Jail at Powhatan Historic State Park located 8 miles south on Arkansas Highway 25.
Erected by the State of Arkansas.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Notable Places. A significant historical date for this entry is July 7, 1818.
Location. 36° 9.295′ N, 91° 3.407′ W. Marker is near Black Rock, Arkansas, in Randolph County. Marker is on Arkansas Route 166, 0.6 miles south of Arkansas Route 361. Located 11 miles south of Pocahontas within the Davidsonville Historic State Park. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 8047 Hwy 166 S, Pocahontas AR 72455, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Public House (a few steps from this marker); County Seat Town (within shouting distance of this marker); Courthouse Square (within shouting distance of this marker); Oldest Town Site in Arkansas (within shouting distance of this marker); Davidsonville's Courthouse (within shouting distance of this marker); Commerce and Business (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line);
More about this marker. Marker is located within the Public Square on the Historic Townsite Trail.
Also see . . . Encyclopedia of Arkansas article about Davidsonville Historic State Park. (Submitted on April 12, 2021, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama.)
Credits. This page was last revised on April 13, 2021. It was originally submitted on April 12, 2021, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama. This page has been viewed 105 times since then and 8 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on April 12, 2021, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama.
