Historical Old Wilkes Jail
Tax deductible
The Wilkes Heritage Museum is a private, non-profit organization formed in 1968 that collects and preserves historical structures, artifacts, and documents of Wilkes County and serves as a resource center for every Wilkes County citizen and visitor. Through exhibits, educational programs, performances, and research, the Wilkes Heritage Museum interprets the history of Wilkes County and western North Carolina.
The Wilkes Heritage Museum began by saving and restoring the Old Wilkes Jail to its original 1860 appearance and operating it as an educational center for the community. Since then, the Old Wilkes Jail has been restored, as well as the 1779 home of Captain Robert Cleveland, and the late 19th century Finley Law Office. The organization’s most recent project, the Wilkes Heritage Museum, finds its home in the old 1902 Wilkes County courthouse.
The old Wilkes Jail, built in 1859 and used as the county jail until 1915, is one of the best preserved examples of nineteenth century penal architecture in North Carolina. Most importantly is the survival of its primitive security, including the front door which contains nails an inch apart so that a prisoner would not be able to saw his way out of the building. Accesses to the cells are through the original iron and wood doors. The iron bars remain on the windows, as well as the primitive sanitary devices in the upstairs cells. Four rooms on the south side of the building were used as the jailors living quarters. The four rooms opposite were all used as cells and at least one was used for female prisoners. Some of the more infamous prisoners to the old jail included Tom “Dooley” Dula and Otto Wood. Tom Dula was arrested for the murder of Laura Foster in 1867 and incarcerated at the old jail until his lawyer, former Governor Zebulon B. Vance, had a change of venue and moved the trial to Statesville. Otto Wood was known as an escape artist and had reportedly escaped from ten prisons by the time he was shot and killed in 1930. The old Wilkes Jail was the only jail Wood never escaped from. He was imprisoned here at the age of 13 for stealing a bicycle. The old Wilkes Jail was restored to its original form in the late 1960s by Old Wilkes, Inc. (now Wilkes Heritage Museum, Inc.) and opened as an historic site in the mid-1970s. Today the old Wilkes Jail is part of the Wilkes Heritage Museum.
The Wilkes Heritage Museum is seeking funds to replace the current HVAC system at the Old Wilkes Jail. The existing HVAC unit was installed in November 1995 and over the course of the past two years has shown significant decline. During the 2014-2015 winter, the furnace completely shut down and caused the water pipes to freeze. When the pipes thawed, a major leak ensued. Fortunately no artifacts were damaged when this occurred but there is currently no heat in the building. The Wilkes Heritage Museum is seeking $2,500 to match a grant to replace the HVAC before cold weather sets in this year. The Old Jail has thousands of school children and visitors of all ages that tour each year. It is one of the major draws of the Wilkes Heritage Museum. Please help preserve this important part of our history.
The Wilkes Heritage Museum began by saving and restoring the Old Wilkes Jail to its original 1860 appearance and operating it as an educational center for the community. Since then, the Old Wilkes Jail has been restored, as well as the 1779 home of Captain Robert Cleveland, and the late 19th century Finley Law Office. The organization’s most recent project, the Wilkes Heritage Museum, finds its home in the old 1902 Wilkes County courthouse.
The old Wilkes Jail, built in 1859 and used as the county jail until 1915, is one of the best preserved examples of nineteenth century penal architecture in North Carolina. Most importantly is the survival of its primitive security, including the front door which contains nails an inch apart so that a prisoner would not be able to saw his way out of the building. Accesses to the cells are through the original iron and wood doors. The iron bars remain on the windows, as well as the primitive sanitary devices in the upstairs cells. Four rooms on the south side of the building were used as the jailors living quarters. The four rooms opposite were all used as cells and at least one was used for female prisoners. Some of the more infamous prisoners to the old jail included Tom “Dooley” Dula and Otto Wood. Tom Dula was arrested for the murder of Laura Foster in 1867 and incarcerated at the old jail until his lawyer, former Governor Zebulon B. Vance, had a change of venue and moved the trial to Statesville. Otto Wood was known as an escape artist and had reportedly escaped from ten prisons by the time he was shot and killed in 1930. The old Wilkes Jail was the only jail Wood never escaped from. He was imprisoned here at the age of 13 for stealing a bicycle. The old Wilkes Jail was restored to its original form in the late 1960s by Old Wilkes, Inc. (now Wilkes Heritage Museum, Inc.) and opened as an historic site in the mid-1970s. Today the old Wilkes Jail is part of the Wilkes Heritage Museum.
The Wilkes Heritage Museum is seeking funds to replace the current HVAC system at the Old Wilkes Jail. The existing HVAC unit was installed in November 1995 and over the course of the past two years has shown significant decline. During the 2014-2015 winter, the furnace completely shut down and caused the water pipes to freeze. When the pipes thawed, a major leak ensued. Fortunately no artifacts were damaged when this occurred but there is currently no heat in the building. The Wilkes Heritage Museum is seeking $2,500 to match a grant to replace the HVAC before cold weather sets in this year. The Old Jail has thousands of school children and visitors of all ages that tour each year. It is one of the major draws of the Wilkes Heritage Museum. Please help preserve this important part of our history.
Organizer
Angel Wilkes
Organizer
Wilkesboro, NC
WILKES HERITAGE MUSEUM INCORPORATED
Registered nonprofit
Donations are typically 100% tax deductible in the US.
