The Union County Sheriff’s Department Office and Jail has a rich history dating back to the 1870s when it was originally constructed. Despite undergoing updates and renovations, the building still retains remnants of its original jail, offering a glimpse into the past and telling the story of its long-standing presence in the community.

In the basement, the original cells that once held inmates still stand, frozen in time. These 4’ x 6’ chambers are made of solid stone and have bare dirt floors, creating an eerie atmosphere more reminiscent of ancient catacombs than a modern jail. Devoid of windows and with very little space, prisoners had only one option to mark the passage of time: etching tally marks onto the rough walls. Meanwhile, the sheriff made the upstairs portion of the jail his home, residing onsite. Even in the mid-90s, the living quarters continued to be used by sheriffs until they were eventually repurposed as offices.

The conditions in the jail may have seemed harsh, but they were certainly an improvement from the first jail built in Union County, located in Brownsville. The original jail, constructed with one-foot square hewn logs, measured 23x12 ft and consisted of two rooms: one for debtors and the other for criminals. The debtor cells were equipped with a 15” window  with crossbars, reflecting the belief that debtors should be granted some form of reward for avoiding criminal behavior. The inaugural sheriff, William Youse, had a budget of only $7 to compensate the guards overseeing the jail.