Old York Gaol
Encyclopedia
Old York Gaol is a National Historic Landmark
at 4 Lindsay Road in York, Maine
.
The gaol was a colonial prison building for York County, Maine and served as a jail from 1719 to 1879. The original portion of the jail was constructed using timbers from the earlier York jail built in 1656. It was built in four phases, including construction of its original stone cell portion in 1719. The present structure's shape was finalized when the building was enlarged in the 1790s in response to a demand for better conditions in debtor's prisons after an increase in debtors following the American Revolution
. After 1879 the Gaol was used as a school, warehouse, and boarding house until 1900 when it opened as a colonial museum of relics. The Old Gaol continues to be a museum and reflects the jail and jailer's quarters as they were in 1789.
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
at 4 Lindsay Road in York, Maine
York, Maine
York is a town in York County, Maine, United States at the southwest corner of the state. The population in the 2000 census was 12,854. Situated beside the Atlantic Ocean on the Gulf of Maine, York is a well-known summer resort. It is home to three 18-hole golf clubs, three sandy beaches, and...
.
The gaol was a colonial prison building for York County, Maine and served as a jail from 1719 to 1879. The original portion of the jail was constructed using timbers from the earlier York jail built in 1656. It was built in four phases, including construction of its original stone cell portion in 1719. The present structure's shape was finalized when the building was enlarged in the 1790s in response to a demand for better conditions in debtor's prisons after an increase in debtors following the American Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
. After 1879 the Gaol was used as a school, warehouse, and boarding house until 1900 when it opened as a colonial museum of relics. The Old Gaol continues to be a museum and reflects the jail and jailer's quarters as they were in 1789.