St. Augustine Old Jail Museum
Product ID: 92524
Supplied by: Historic Tours of America, Inc.
The Old Jail Museum is a must-visit when in St. Augustine. Built by Henry Flagler in 1891, this jail which mimics a hotel on the outside, was operational for more than 60 years and housed 72 prisoners at a time. Costumed actors will tell you tales of the jail and its occupants, and even book you as an inmate! The Old Jail Museum is a fun and historic outing for both adults and kids.
Highlights
- Take a tour of the maximum security cells
- Meet Sheriff Joe Perry who’ll fill you in on how executions were held in the gallows
- Take a walk through the men’s and women’s cells
- See where the warden and his family lived just footsteps away
What's included
- Admission to the museum
Additional Information
Tours depart daily every 15 minutes between 9a and 4:30p
Tours offered until 3:00pm on Easter, 4th of July, Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve.
Closed Christmas Day.
Cancellation policy
All sales are final, no refunds.
Overview
In 1878, oil magnate and industrialist, Henry Flagler, left the familiar confines of his tony and privileged life in New York City and traveled south to Jacksonville, Florida with his ailing wife. On strict doctor’s orders, they were advised to escape the intemperate winter of Manhattan so his wife, Mary Flagler, could potentially recover from tuberculosis. She would not survive the trip. Shortly thereafter, Henry Flagler would re-marry and make his way to the Ancient City, St. Augustine, Florida. Finding the area charming and brimming with possibilities but sorely lacking in accommodations, the businessman hit the ground running and began to make sizable real estate investments, one of which was the Hotel Ponce de Leon.
In 1891, Henry Flagler contracted the company that would eventually build Alcatraz to construct a jail just north of downtown on San Marco Ave. So as not to create an eyesore that would strike fear in the hearts of the general public and to avoid discouraging his fat cat friends from investing in the city, he decided to disguise it.
