fauquier history
The Old Jail Museum Showcases Our History
Early county prison is a growing repository of artifacts, information by John T. Toler
The old County Jail on Courthouse Square in Warrenton is easily the oldest public building in Fauquier County, and likely one of the oldest existing examples of penal architecture in Virginia. Although altered over the years, the original 1808 structure and its 1823 cellblock addition served as Fauquier’s
jail until 1966, when it was replaced by a new facility on Lee Street – a remarkable 158 years. In spite of its antiquity, the Old Jail on Courthouse Square was not the first county jail. Within months after Fauquier County was broken off from Prince William and received its charter in early 1759, plans were in the works
for the necessary county courthouse and jail. By August 1759, local contractor Elias Edmonds was selected to build the first courthouse/jail complex, which was most likely located on two acres near the center of the newer section of the old jail continued on page 42
For many years, the walls of Old Jail were covered by vegetation, including several species of ivy and Virginia creeper. All of this covering, as it looked in the 1920s, was removed in 1987. 40
Warrenton lifestyle