Built with funds provided by Henry Flagler, the St. Johns County Old Jail served as the official jail of St. Johns between the years 1891 and 1953. It is rumored that two of the stipulations fr the new jail outlined by Flagler were that (1) the jail was to be built one mile from the city gates and (2) the jail was to be designed so as to not resemble a typical jail. This explains the "salmon" colored exterior and the Queen Anne architectural design.

​

he jail was an "open air jail," referring to the fact that the windows were not sealed, thus the interior was open and exposed to the elements. This added to the harsh living conditions for the inmates. The northern wing of the jail consisted of a general population and maximum security area, a women's section and a lower level kitchen. The southern wing was a home and office for the Sheriff and his family.

​

Today, the Old Jail is open to the public as a historical site that offers tours regularly.

​

Text by Meghan Crawford