Jefferson County Jail
National Register of Historic Places

Jefferson County Jail

Louisville, Jefferson County, Kentucky
Listed
July 15, 1973
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
73000808

About this property

The Jefferson County Jail is a historic structure in central Louisville, Kentucky, United States. Built in 1905 in the Chicago style of architecture, it was designed by D.X. Murphy & Bros. It comprises two wings: the western, built as cell blocks, and the eastern, which originally housed offices. A system of corridors was used to separate male and female prisoners and black and white prisoners. In 1983, the jail was converted into an office complex. Among its tenants are the offices of the Commonwealth's Attorney, the office of the Circuit Court Clerk, and the Jefferson County Public Law Library. While prisoners are no longer held in the jail, it is still significant as a leading example of public-works architecture. Its structure has been admired by many leading architects, including the renowned Finnish-American Eero Saarinen. In 1973, the jail was listed on the National Register of Historic Places for its architectural significance.

Location

514 W. Liberty St.
Louisville, Jefferson County, Kentucky
38.25319, -85.76006

Categories

ARCHITECTURE
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

Jefferson County Courthouse
Civil War
0.1 mi
Louisville City Hall Complex
Civil War
0.1 mi
Jefferson County Armory
Industrial
0.1 mi
Inter-Southern Insurance Building
Industrial
0.1 mi
Steam Engine Company No. 2
Industrial
0.1 mi

Nearby Battles

Siege of Fort Nelson (Louisville)
1781Revolutionary War
0.1 mi
Battle of Long Run (KY)
1781Revolutionary War
11.2 mi
Battle of Long Run
1781Revolutionary War
11.4 mi

Questions about this property

When was Jefferson County Jail listed on the National Register?

Jefferson County Jail was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on July 15, 1973.

What type of historic resource is Jefferson County Jail?

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

What is the period of significance for Jefferson County Jail?

The period of significance for Jefferson County Jail is recorded as the industrial era, specifically around 1905.

Can I research the history near Jefferson County Jail?

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