Dubuque County Jail
Encyclopedia
The Dubuque County Jail is an historic building in Dubuque, Iowa
. The National Park Service describes it: "Completed in 1858, this massive stone building was designed by the Midwestern architect who also did such masterpieces as the Old Illinois State Capitol. An outstanding example of the Egyptian Revival style, it exemplifies the antebellum penal reform movement in the United States."
The jail is famous for having at one point hosted Butch Cassidy
, who was picked up outside of Dubuque on his way back to Wyoming from Chicago. It was thought he had robbed a bank on the Illinois side of the Mississippi, but no one was willing to testify against him and no evidence was found at the scene to link Cassidy with the robbery, so he was let free after only four hours in detention. He was never formally charged.
The Dubuque County Jail currently houses the Old Jail Museum, which is operated by the Dubuque County Historical Society. The museum exhibits part of the Society's collection of local history artifacts, as well as a sound and light show, "The Hanging of Patrick O'Connor", about a local murder and execution which occurred 20-yards from the jail.
The jail was declared a National Historic Landmark
in 1987.
Dubuque, Iowa
Dubuque is a city in and the county seat of Dubuque County, Iowa, United States, located along the Mississippi River. In 2010 its population was 57,637, making it the ninth-largest city in the state and the county's population was 93,653....
. The National Park Service describes it: "Completed in 1858, this massive stone building was designed by the Midwestern architect who also did such masterpieces as the Old Illinois State Capitol. An outstanding example of the Egyptian Revival style, it exemplifies the antebellum penal reform movement in the United States."
The jail is famous for having at one point hosted Butch Cassidy
Butch Cassidy
Robert LeRoy Parker , better known as Butch Cassidy, was a notorious American train robber, bank robber, and leader of the Wild Bunch Gang in the American Old West...
, who was picked up outside of Dubuque on his way back to Wyoming from Chicago. It was thought he had robbed a bank on the Illinois side of the Mississippi, but no one was willing to testify against him and no evidence was found at the scene to link Cassidy with the robbery, so he was let free after only four hours in detention. He was never formally charged.
The Dubuque County Jail currently houses the Old Jail Museum, which is operated by the Dubuque County Historical Society. The museum exhibits part of the Society's collection of local history artifacts, as well as a sound and light show, "The Hanging of Patrick O'Connor", about a local murder and execution which occurred 20-yards from the jail.
The jail was declared a National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
in 1987.
External links
- Old Jail Museum - Dubuque County Historical Society