Old County Jail

Built to replace a log jail, this native sandstone structure was erected by contractors Martin, Byrne and Johnston of Comanche. J. C. McQuerry was sheriff when it was finished (1880). The first floor was used for county offices until a new courthouse was finished. It then housed the jailer's family, while the top floor held killers, cattle rustlers, rowdy cowboys, and other prisoners. A steel trap door was installed for hangings in 1907 but never used. Vacated in 1941, the building was acquired by the Palo Pinto County Historical Association in 1968 and restored as its headquarters and museum. (1976)

Old County Jail is a historical marker in Palo Pinto, Palo Pinto County, dedicated in 1976. It is one of 45 historical markers documented in Palo Pinto County in the Texas Historical Commission Atlas, among 53 historic sites cataloged across the county.

The site sits at 32.7660, -98.2986 near Palo Pinto. The nearest cataloged historic site is Palo Pinto Methodist Church (historical marker), about under a tenth of a mile away. Others within a short drive include First Baptist Church of Palo Pinto, Jonathan Hamilton Baker, and Courthouses of Palo Pinto County.

This record corresponds to Texas Historical Commission Atlas #5363003716. Use the map below for its exact position and turn-by-turn directions.