The old Salem jail, also known as the Essex County Jail, is a historic jail in Salem, Massachusetts located next to the Howard Street Cemetery.
The jail was built between 1811 – 1813 on St. Peter Street after the old wooden jail on Federal Street, known as the Salem Witch Jail because it housed the accused witches in 1692, became too small to serve its purpose.
The jail is constructed out of Rockport granite blocks and originally measured 38 feet wide by 64 feet tall. It featured a hip roof and pavilions that projected slightly from each side wall and was designed to house 112 inmates.
In addition to the jail, a three-story brick jailer’s house, or sheriff’s house, was also constructed next to the jail in 1813.
It is not known who designed the jail but the principal mason on the construction project was David Robbins while Joseph Edwards supervised the construction. The construction cost totaled $80,000.
In 1884, the jail was remodeled and expanded, under the direction of architect Rufus Sargent, when the west wing was constructed. The expansion increased the jail’s capacity to 150 inmates.
The construction dates for both the original construction and the expansion are engraved at the top of pediments on the south side of the building.
During the 19th century, public executions were held in front of the jail. Some of these executions included the hanging of convicted murderers Frank Knapp and Joseph Knapp, who were convicted in the brutal murder of a local sea captain, Captain Joseph White, in 1830. Another man, Richard Crowninshield, was also accused of taking part in that murder but hanged himself in his cell in the jail before he could be tried.
Over the centuries, the jail continued to be overcrowded and was never updated with modern facilities like electricity or individual plumbing in the jail cells. As a result, the inmates were forced to use buckets as chamberpots in their cells.
In July of 1980, a small riot broke out during which six prisoners dumped their buckets onto the floor of the jail.
In 1984, several inmates successfully sued the county for inadequate living conditions due to the lack of plumbing and other modern amenities.
As a result, in 1991, a judge ordered the jail closed and a new $53 million jail was constructed for the county in Middleton.
When the prisoners were being removed from the old jail, a riot broke out during which prisoners threw food, lit trash cans on fire and threw urine-filled buckets throughout the jail.
When the jail closed in 1991, it was the oldest active penitentiary in the U.S. at the time.
The building remained vacant for many years, during which trespassers frequently broke in, vandalized the building and stole items from the jail. In 1999, a fire broke out in the jailer’s house but it was quickly contained.
On February 2, 2000, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts conveyed the building to the City of Salem.
On October 26, 2004 the City of Salem conveyed the building to the Salem Redevelopment Authority and a preservation restriction was established for the building.
On April 8, 2009, the Salem Redevelopment Authority conveyed the property to Old Salem Jail Ventures, LLC,. In May of that year, construction began on turning the old jail into an apartment building with 36 apartments as well as a restaurant on the bottom floor.
The jailer’s house was subdivided into three apartments and the reconstructed carriage house had one apartment and a small museum dedicated to the jail’s history.
In 2016, the property was sold to Iron Bar LLC who opened a new eatery in the restaurant, a barcade called Bit Bar, and planned to construct a fourth building with 14 more apartments. In 2021, Bit Bar relocated to Derby Street when it outgrew its space at the old jail.
Sources:
Baltursis, Sam. Wicked Salem: Exploring Lingering Lore and Legends. Globe Pequot, 2019.
Enfinger, Dana. “New Boston Changing Old Salem Jail Plan.” Multifamily Executive, 1 March. 2008, multifamilyexecutive.com/design-development/renovations/new-boston-changing-old-salem-jail-plan_o
Bertuca, Tony. “The Legend of Salem Jail.” Corrections, 18 July. 2005, corrections.com/articles/5268-the-legend-of-salem-jail
Wagner, E.J. “A Murder in Salem.” Smithsonian Magazine, November 2010, smithsonianmag.com/history/a-murder-in-salem-64885035/
“Essex County Jail.” MACRIS, Massachusetts Cultural Resource Information System, Massachusetts Historical Commission, mhc-macris.net/Details.aspx?MhcId=SAL.2416
Rebecca, a good summary. This is an important story, both for Essex County and for Massachusetts. As it happens, one of the inmates in 1900 (Census of June 1900) was a distant cousin of mine. I am writing a family history of my Grant lineage, from southwestern Nova Scotia, focused on the counties of Annapolis and Digby. It will be self-published this year by Westbow Press. I would like to include notes from your blog and would reference the internet address and perhaps your name (if you like). I don’t know if I need permission to use notes from your “history” blog, but I think it polite to ask. I am a retired Canadian military officer living in Ottawa, Ontario. I hope you are staying well and safe.
My Husband’s brother at the time was 18 in that jail back in 1981 and was hung or he hung himself we really don’t know what happened. But I like to find information on him, he did pass Away at Hospital. His name is Christopher James Hardy born Sept 1, 1962. If anyone has any information it’s greatly appreciated. Thank you.