National Register of Historic Places

Franklin County Jail

Benton, Franklin County, Illinois
Listed
February 5, 1999
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
99000111

About this property

The Franklin County Jail, located at 209 W. Main St. in Benton, is the former county jail of Franklin County, Illinois. The jail was built in 1905–06 to replace the county's previous jail, which was built in the 1840s after the county seat moved to Benton. Architect Joseph W. Royer designed the jail; the brick building features limestone trim, a hip roof with gabled dormers, and a front porch which was rebuilt in 1997. The building also included the county sheriff's residence, an arrangement which allowed for the sheriff to continuously watch the prisoners. The jail housed prisoners until 1990, when a new jail was constructed after the State of Illinois condemned the old building. The Franklin County Historic Preservation Society has since converted the old jail to a historic museum. The jail building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1999. It is one of three listed properties in Franklin County. The other two are the Sesser Opera House, in Sesser and the West Frankfort City Hall, in West Frankfort.

Location

209 W. Main St.
Benton, Franklin County, Illinois
37.99696, -88.92258

Categories

LAW
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Nearby Historic Sites

West Frankfort City Hall
Industrial
6.8 mi
Sesser Opera House
Industrial
9.6 mi
Judd, C. H., House
Industrial
13.6 mi
Du Quoin State Fairgrounds
Industrial
16.6 mi
Goddard Chapel
Industrial
17.5 mi

Questions about this property

When was Franklin County Jail listed on the National Register?

Franklin County Jail was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on February 5, 1999.

What type of historic resource is Franklin County Jail?

Franklin County Jail is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Franklin County Jail?

The period of significance for Franklin County Jail is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Franklin County Jail?

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