Crawfordville in Wakulla County, Florida — The American South (South Atlantic)
Old Wakulla County Jail
Photographed By Tim Fillmon, November 2, 2022
1. Old Wakulla County Jail Marker
Inscription.
Old Wakulla County Jail. . Constructed in 1948, the Old Wakulla County Jail is a concrete and stucco building in the Art Deco style. The architect was James A. Stripling and builder was the S.J. Curry Company, who also constructed the nearby Wakulla County Courthouse. From 1949 to 1973, the building served as the county jail and jailer's residence. The first floor was constructed as a three-bedroom residence. The front room, on the east side of the building, served as the jailer's office. The stairs, accessed through the east door, led to the jail cells on the second story. Jailer R.E. Whaley served as the first jailer, and his wife, Geraldine, served as the police dispatcher, cook, and laundry person. The couple lived here until 1972, when Whaley retired and John Henry Taylor took over as jailer. In 1973, a new jail was built, and from that time until 1999, the old jail building housed various county offices. The building was slated for demolition in 1997, but the Wakulla County Historical Society pushed for its preservation. In 1999, the Wakulla County Board of County Commissioners agreed to lease the building to the Wakulla County Historical Society for the creation of a museum and archives. , A Florida Heritage Site
Constructed in 1948, the Old Wakulla County Jail is a concrete and stucco building in the Art Deco style. The architect was James A. Stripling and builder was the S.J. Curry Company, who also constructed the nearby Wakulla County Courthouse. From 1949 to 1973, the building served as the county jail and jailer's residence. The first floor was constructed as a three-bedroom residence. The front room, on the east side of the building, served as the jailer's office. The stairs, accessed through the east door, led to the jail cells on the second story. Jailer R.E. Whaley served as the first jailer, and his wife, Geraldine, served as the police dispatcher, cook, and laundry person. The couple lived here until 1972, when Whaley retired and John Henry Taylor took over as jailer. In 1973, a new jail was built, and from that time until 1999, the old jail building housed various county offices. The building was slated for demolition in 1997, but the Wakulla County Historical Society pushed for its preservation. In 1999, the Wakulla County Board of County Commissioners agreed to lease the building to the Wakulla County Historical Society for the creation of a museum and archives.
A Florida Heritage Site
Erected 2021 by The Wakulla County Historic Preservation Committee, and the Florida Department of
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State. (Marker Number F-1158.)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Law Enforcement. A significant historical year for this entry is 1948.
Location. 30° 10.535′ N, 84° 22.582′ W. Marker is in Crawfordville, Florida, in Wakulla County. Marker is at the intersection of High Drive and Ochlockonee Street, on the right when traveling west on High Drive. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 24 High Drive, Crawfordville FL 32326, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Credits. This page was last revised on November 13, 2022. It was originally submitted on November 9, 2022, by Tim Fillmon of Webster, Florida. This page has been viewed 224 times since then and 68 times this year. Photos:1, 2. submitted on November 9, 2022, by Tim Fillmon of Webster, Florida.
