THE OLD JAIL

The 1818 jail in downtown Chambersburg has been restored and renovated. Feel what it was like to be imprisoned there. Explore the dungeons located in the basement and see the rings in the floor where dangerous prisoners were shackled in solitary confinement. Their graffiti is still visible, scratched into the walls. Enter the cell block and imagine what it would be like if those metal gates were swung closed with you inside. The exercise yard is enclosed by 3-foot thick, 20-foot high limestone walls. The gallows that was last used in 1912 is an ominous presence there. Visitors today can also imagine what it was like to be the jailer’s family by touring the living quarters. The old jail is believed to have been a station on the Underground Railroad in the 1850s. The old jail ceased operation in 1970. This solid old building can boast of the longest continuous period of service of any jail in Pennsylvania. It now houses the Kittochtinny Historical Society’s Museum and Library. The space is used for displays of artifacts from an apothecary shop and from Franklin County’s history. There is a colonial kitchen and a Victorian parlor. Don’t miss the gift shop full of fascinating items. The extensive genealogical library can help you trace your Franklin County ancestry. There are marriage and obituary notices, church and school records, cemetery lists and tombstone inscriptions, veteran records, copies of deeds and wills, and so much more! Knowledgeable volunteers will assist you.

Admission fee – see website.