Knox County Jail
National Register of Historic Places

Knox County Jail

Knoxville, Knox County, Illinois
Listed
February 13, 1992
Type
Building
Period
Early Republic
Ref No.
92000050

About this property

The Knox County Jail, located on the public square in Knoxville, is a former county jail used by Knox County, Illinois. Built in 1845, the jail was the second used in the county; it replaced a log jail which was thought to be insufficiently secure. Contractor Alvah Wheeler built the two-story brick building for $7,724. The county's only official hanging was conducted at the jail in 1873, when John M. Osborne was executed for the murder of Adelia Matthews; several hundred people came to watch his execution. Later in the same year, the county seat and the jail were both moved to Galesburg; the Knoxville jail is now part of the Knox County Museum. The jail was added to the National Register of Historic Places on February 13, 1992.

Location

Knoxville, Knox County, Illinois
40.90874, -90.28511

Categories

POLITICS/GOVERNMENT
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

Knox County Courthouse and Hall of Records
Early Republic
0.1 mi
Walnut Grove Farm
Early Republic
1.4 mi
Old Main, Knox College
Industrial
5.1 mi
Galesburg Historic District
Listed
5.1 mi
Meetinghouse of the Central Congregational Church
Industrial
5.2 mi

Questions about this property

When was Knox County Jail listed on the National Register?

Knox County Jail was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on February 13, 1992.

What type of historic resource is Knox County Jail?

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

What is the period of significance for Knox County Jail?

The period of significance for Knox County Jail is recorded as the early_republic era, specifically around 1845.

Can I research the history near Knox County Jail?

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