Marker Inscription
This building, which served as the third county jail, was built in 1881 on the site of the 1857 jail. Physical and archival evidence suggests that this two-story jail and its associated water well were built with brick from locally fired clay, recycled from the earlier jail. Exterior walls are 18 inches thick. The original design incorporated two prison cells and housing for the jailer. From 1914-66, the building housed a multi-family residence. Area citizens bought the property in 1966 to house a county historical museum. From 2012-21, the jail was restored to its 1880s appearance. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1967
About this site
1881 Freestone County Jail is a historical marker in Fairfield, Freestone County, dedicated in 1967. It is one of 57 historical markers documented in Freestone County in the Texas Historical Commission Atlas, among 139 historic sites cataloged across the county.
The site sits at 31.7275, -96.1581 near Fairfield. The nearest cataloged historic site is Butler Church Bell (historical marker), about under a tenth of a mile away. Others within a short drive include Carter Log House, Potter-Watson Lob Cabin, and Fischer, Fridolin.
This record corresponds to Texas Historical Commission Atlas #5000024138. Use the map below for its exact position and turn-by-turn directions.
