Old York Gaol facts for kids
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Old York Gaol
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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 Location in Maine
Location in the United States
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| Location | York, Maine |
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| Area | 0.5 acres (0.20 ha) |
| Built | 1719 |
| Architectural style | American Colonial |
| Part of | York Historic District (ID73000249) |
| NRHP reference No. | 68000016 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | November 24, 1968 |
| Designated NHL | November 24, 1968 |
| Designated CP | July 16, 1973 |
The Old York Gaol is a very old prison building in York, Maine. It's located at Lindsay Road and Main Street. The oldest part of this building was built around 1720. This makes it one of the oldest prison buildings in the United States. It's also one of the oldest public buildings in the state of Maine.
In 1968, the Old York Gaol was named a National Historic Landmark. Today, the Museums of Old York own it. You can visit the gaol for tours between May and October.
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What is the Old York Gaol Like?
The Old York Gaol is mostly made of wood. It has changed a lot over many years. Right now, it looks like a 1-1/2 story building with a special roof called a gambrel roof. Some parts are covered with wooden boards called clapboards. Other parts have stone walls.
The Oldest Parts of the Prison
The very first part of the building was built in 1719 or 1720. This section is a stone cell block. It has one single cell. The stone walls are about 2.5 feet (0.76 meters) thick. Inside, these walls are lined with strong oak wood.
How the Gaol Grew Over Time
Around 1736, more rooms were added to the first floor. These included a kitchen, a dining room, and a living room. The living room had a special wall that could fold to make two separate rooms. This folding wall was added much later, in the late 1800s.
About 1763, a second floor was built. This floor had three more cells. It also had a central room. One of these new cells was much nicer. People think it might have been for people who owed money, or for the prison warden.
Around 1800, another stone cell was added to the first floor. Also, a new part was built for the warden. This part included a dining room, a living room, and a bedroom for the warden.
From Prison to Museum
The first part of the jail was built using wood from an even older jail in York from 1656. This building was the official jail for York County. At that time, York was part of Massachusetts. It served as a jail until 1760. Then, the town of York took it over.
The jail was made bigger one last time around 1800. This happened because more people were put in jail for owing money after the American Revolution. People wanted better conditions for these "debtors' prisons."
After 1879, the building was no longer used as a jail. It became a school, a place to store things, and even a boarding house. In 1900, it opened as a museum. It showed old items from the colonial times. The Old York Gaol is still a museum today. It shows what the jail and the jailer's home looked like in 1789.
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Old York Gaol in 1936
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Courtroom in the Old Gaol (Jail) in c. 1910
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