Historic Preservation & Restoration

1894 Clay County Jail Restoration

Project Brief

The 1894 Clay County Jail was in use until 1972. It is the second oldest, still standing jail in the state of Florida, with St. Augustine’s Old Jail being the first/oldest. The building was constructed with one-foot-thick brick walls and features sixteen (16) jail cells of various sizes with a Maximum Security wing on the second floor.

Bhide & Hall Architects were tasked with the restoration of the abandoned and deteriorating structure. The residential portion of the building was in danger of collapsing and the interior floors had rotted and fallen. The flat-roofed portion of the structure collapsed during the initial project clean-up began. The exterior masonry walls were cracked and outwardly splayed.

Upon completion, this unused abandoned building was crafted into a useful, aesthetically pleasing County building that remains true to its original style.

The Old Jail building is now home to the Clay County Archives and Historical Resource Center. This is a contributing building on the National Register of Historic Places (NRIS #91000281) and a part of the Green Cove Springs Historic District.

Learn more about the Old Clay County Jail from the Clay County Historical Archives >>

Details

Location

Green Cove Springs, Florida

Client

Clay County Board of County Commissioners

Project Type

Historic Preservation
Restoration

Market

Historic Preservation