Historic Jail
What has 3-feet thick walls, reinforced steel doors, an iron cage, and is surrounded by an 18-foot high wall ? A good guess would be the 1876 Charlottesville Jail (the first Albemarle County Jail was built in 1749). You probably drive by the jail frequently, without noticing it. 
It sits behind the juvenile court offices, off E High and Park Street (near Hedge Street). Inmates were segregated by gender and race, with a 30-minute window for visitors, from noon until 12:30. The jail held between 35 and 40 inmates. Visit the Sheriff’s Office website for more details and an old photograph of the jail. An adjacent house was added in the early 20th Century for the jailer and his wife. The “Old Jail” closed in 1974 (when the modern Albemarle-Charlottesville Joint Security Complex opened on 5th Street Extended).
June 1st, 2007 at 2:46 pm
Folks who’ve been on the Historical Society’s annual Spirit Walk will know that the jail was the site of the last official hanging in the state of Virginia, with the execution of former mayor Frank McCue for the murder of his wife.
Since a group of local preservationists convinced the County not to demolish the jail several years ago, it’s been kind of a millstone around the necks of the county commissioners. What to do with it?
Some have suggested offices, yet another restaurant, a museum - - - all would require $$$$$$$ to rebuild the interior. After all, the walls are extraordinarily thick, there is inadequate ventilation, wiring, plumbing—it was a jail, and one considered inadequate even by 1930s standards, when a survey by the state was done.
Come by the Historical Society and read the history of the jail. We also have the survey from the 1930s, and more recent recommendations by various groups, including U.Va. architectural preservation students.
Now, the jailor’s house (attached) is a different story. That has actually been used quite nicely as office space in recent times.