Edenton in Chowan County, North Carolina — The American South (South Atlantic)

1825 Chowan County Jail

Closed in 1975 after 150 Years of Service

— Edenton Historical Commission Museum Trail —

1825 Chowan County Jail Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, May 17, 2023

1. 1825 Chowan County Jail Marker

Inscription.

1825 Chowan County Jail. Closed in 1975 after 150 Years of Service. When closed, the Jail was documented to be oldest jail in NC and discovered to be oldest, in use, jail in the United States.. Typical Edenton NC This story, so like Edenton, is an excerpt from Roy Thompson's Mrs. Fletcher's Eden. The book honors Edenton's famous author: Inglis Fletcher. Her many books spun tales of exploration, colonization, and the struggle for independence from England.

"Work to be done on the jail could not be done with prisoners inside, some were farmed out to other jails. Others were given a chance for freedom. They had to promise to leave Edenton and not come back. They all said they'd rather be in jail in Edenton than free outside of town, and so, each day these men lolled around on the town green by day and returned to their cells at night."

, The Jail was never intended to be a place of comfort. Usual efforts were made for exercise in the exercise yard, provision of toilets and wash up basins. First floor maintained four cells with four men to a cell. The end walls were 18 inches thick, reinforced, while the sides were 24. On 2nd floor was space for a women's dormitory. A metal cage wrapped around all the cells and divided individual cells inside the concrete walls for added security. , In the 1950s, in addition to a salary, the jailer was paid a stipend of 30¢ per prisoner entering the prison and again when a prisoner was released. $3 per day was allotted per prisoner for food. , A History of 1825 Chowan County Jail, 1712 Ten years after Edenton was founded, in 1712, the town builds its first jail, 1722. Replacements constructed in 1741, 1788, and 1809. The last burned down in 1824. , 1825 Fifth Jail! The English bond brick jail stands behind the Courthouse where originally built. The 1767 Courthouse is America's oldest, still in use, Courthouse. , 1905 Replacing not-secure plank-wooden interior walls, Pauley Jail Building of St. Louis, installs steel cells on first floor. After long wait the "Jailer's House" is built. , 1975 Following 150 years of service, NC's oldest jail is declared unfit for use. On closing, historians discovered it to be the oldest jail, in use, in the United States. , 2017 Edenton Historical Commission negotiates responsibility for the jail. With funding from Chowan County Commissioners, Tourism Dev. Auth., Edenton Historical Commission and the Earl and Margaret Chesson Charitable Endowment. , 2018 Arduous planning, fundraising and back-breaking labor make the old jail safe to share its place in Edenton's incredible history. If walls could talk, what a story these could tell! You are standing in the middle of history, imagine and enjoy. , [photo captions] . 1825 Chowan County Jail built by ship captain Ebenezer Paine. It is believed Paine based construction on a design by John Hawks (1731-1790). Hawks is believed to be architect of the 1767 Chowan County Courthouse. , This self-guided museum trail is numbered for convenience. However participants can begin or end where desired., The Museum Trail Signs are presented by the Edenton Historical Commission with support from the Edenton Woman’s Club. Special Thanks to Robert Quinn, Trail Concept/Producer; William Ahearn, Graphic Design/Photography; Kip Shaw, Photography.

When closed, the Jail was documented to be oldest jail in NC
and discovered to be oldest, in use, jail in the United States.
Typical Edenton NC
This story, so like Edenton, is an excerpt from Roy Thompson's Mrs. Fletcher's Eden. The book honors Edenton's famous author: Inglis Fletcher. Her many books spun tales of exploration, colonization, and the struggle for independence from England.

"Work to be done on the jail could not be done with prisoners inside, some were farmed out to other jails. Others were given a chance for freedom. They had to promise to leave Edenton and not come back. They all said they'd rather be in jail in Edenton than free outside of town, and so, each day these men lolled around on the town green by day and returned to their cells at night."

The Jail was never intended to be a place of comfort. Usual efforts were made for exercise in the exercise yard, provision of toilets and wash up basins. First floor maintained four cells with four men to a cell. The end walls were 18 inches thick, reinforced, while the sides were 24. On 2nd floor was space for a women's dormitory. A metal cage wrapped around all

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the cells and divided individual cells inside the concrete walls for added security.

In the 1950s, in addition to a salary, the jailer was paid a stipend of 30¢ per prisoner entering the prison and again when a prisoner was released. $3 per day was allotted per prisoner for food.

A History of 1825 Chowan County Jail

1712
Ten years after Edenton was founded, in 1712, the town builds its first jail, 1722. Replacements constructed in 1741, 1788, and 1809. The last burned down in 1824.

1825
Fifth Jail! The English bond brick jail stands behind the Courthouse where originally built. The 1767 Courthouse is America's oldest, still in use, Courthouse.

1905
Replacing not-secure plank-wooden interior walls, Pauley Jail Building of St. Louis, installs steel cells on first floor. After long wait the "Jailer's House" is built.

1975
Following 150 years of service, NC's oldest jail is declared unfit for use. On closing, historians discovered it to be the oldest jail, in use, in the United States.

2017
Edenton Historical Commission negotiates responsibility for the jail. With funding from Chowan County Commissioners, Tourism Dev. Auth., Edenton Historical

Marker detail: Cell Interior and Main Door image. Click for full size.

2. Marker detail: Cell Interior and Main Door

Commission and the Earl and Margaret Chesson Charitable Endowment.

2018
Arduous planning, fundraising and back-breaking labor make the old jail safe to share its place in Edenton's incredible history. If walls could talk, what a story these could tell! You are standing in the middle of history, imagine and enjoy.

[photo captions]
• 1825 Chowan County Jail built by ship captain Ebenezer Paine. It is believed Paine based construction on a design by John Hawks (1731-1790). Hawks is believed to be architect of the 1767 Chowan County Courthouse.

This self-guided museum trail is numbered for convenience. However participants can begin or end where desired.

The Museum Trail Signs are presented by the Edenton Historical Commission with support from the Edenton Woman’s Club. Special Thanks to Robert Quinn, Trail Concept/Producer; William Ahearn, Graphic Design/Photography; Kip Shaw, Photography.

Erected by Edenton Historical Commission Museum Trail. (Marker Number 7.)

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Charity & Public Work • Law Enforcement • Notable Buildings. A significant historical year for this entry is 1825.

Location. 36° 3.49′ N,

Marker detail: Jail Photos image. Click for full size.

3. Marker detail: Jail Photos

76° 36.467′ W. Marker is in Edenton, North Carolina, in Chowan County. It can be reached from Court Street just north of East King Street, on the left when traveling north. Marker is located beside the walkway behind the Historic Chowan County Courthouse, overlooking the Historic Chowan County Jail. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 115 East King Street, Edenton NC 27932, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in North Carolina’s Coastal Plain. It is also in the American South,

specifically in the Upper South,

in the Tidewater,

and on the Eastern Seaboard. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the original Thirteen Colonies,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Chowan County Jail (a few steps from this marker); Colonial Punishment (a

Marker detail: Jail Layout image. Click for full size.

4. Marker detail: Jail Layout

few steps from this marker); 1767 Chowan County Courthouse (within shouting distance of this marker); Edenton Tea Pot (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Residence of Mrs. Elizabeth King (about 300 feet away); Joseph Hewes (about 400 feet away); Vinyl Night (about 400 feet away); a different marker also named Joseph Hewes (about 500 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Edenton.

Related markers. Click here for a list of markers that are related to this marker. Edenton Historical Commission Museum Trail

Also see . . . 1825 Chowan County Historic Jail.

Running the jail was a full-time endeavor. The Jail keeper was a designated Deputy Sheriff. “Jail Keepers,” the jailer and his wife, were required to have certificates as qualified and trained Keepers. The Jailer would often be away doing Deputy Sherriff duties and his wife had to step in and become the jailer.

Probably, the most dramatic historic incident involving this jail stemmed from the August 1831 events in Southampton County, VA. — “Nat Turner Revolt”, in which 55 whites were killed. Terror struck Chowan County. By the end of September
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, May 17, 2023

5. 1825 Chowan County Jail Marker
(looking north • Historic County Jail in background)
1831, 21 blacks were jailed here on suspicion of “Conspiracy to rebel and make insurrection”. 8 were indicted, one man, Godfrey went to trial in this very 1767 Courthouse on October 12. He was found innocent, in trial by jury. The judge declared, “If he is innocent, all are innocent.” All indictments and arrests were immediately dropped and all inmates released.

(Submitted on May 27, 2023, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

1825 Chowan County Jail (<i>northwest elevation</i>) image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, May 17, 2023

6. 1825 Chowan County Jail (northwest elevation)

(exercise yard in left foreground - behind the wall)

1905 Chowan County Jailer's House (<i>south elevation</i>) image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, May 17, 2023

7. 1905 Chowan County Jailer's House (south elevation)

(historical marker is located beside sidewalk on right • Historic County Jail is behind the Jailer’s House)

1825 Chowan County Jail (<i>southeast elevation</i>) image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, May 17, 2023

8. 1825 Chowan County Jail (southeast elevation)

(view from near marker)

Credits. This page was last revised on June 7, 2023. It was originally submitted on May 27, 2023, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 463 times since then and 37 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. submitted on May 27, 2023, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.