Details for Old Atascosa County Jail

Historical Marker — Atlas Number 5013003687

Data

Marker Number 3687
Atlas Number 5013003687
Marker Title Old Atascosa County Jail
Index Entry Atascosa County Jail
Address 711 Broadway
City Jourdanton
County Atascosa
UTM Zone 14
UTM Easting 544147
UTM Northing 3199284
Subject Codes jails and prisons; design and construction
Marker Year 1986
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark No
Marker Location 711 Broadway, Jourdanton
Private Property No
Marker Condition In Situ
Marker Size 27" x 42"
Marker Text County officials rented a small Jourdanton house for a jail in 1911 after the county seat was moved here from Pleasanton in 1910. A proposal to build a new jail with cells from the old Pleasanton structure was rejected and this reinforced-concrete, brick-clad building with new steel cells was authorized in 1915. This site was purchased that year from W.M. Abernethy (1851-1931), who had served as County Judge from 1901 to 1912. The architect of the 1912 Courthouse, Henry T. Phelps (1881-1945) of San Antonio, was chosen to supervise erection of the jail. The Southern Structural Steel Company of San Antonio was awarded the $20,000 construction contract. An electic blend of architectural elements was highlighted with crenelated towers and hood molds outlining the windows. The first floor housed offices and living quarters for Sheriffs and their families, provided from 1916 to 1959. A gallows room was built on the second floor, though its trap door was never sprung for execution. Standard and specialized cells were partitioned on the second and third floors. Additions were built in 1974, with bricks and detailing carefully matching original patterns. A new jail was built to replace this building in 1982. Texas Sesquicentennial 1836-1986.