1907 Jail Museum Grand Opening Event
The Northampton Historic Preservation Society is pleased to announce the Grand Opening of the 1907 Jail Museum on the historic Northampton Court Green. Join us for an Open House Weekend to celebrate the museum opening on Saturday and Sunday, June 28 & 29, 2025, from 12:00 pm to 3:00 pm. A presentation about the exhibition will be provided at 12:30 each day.
This restored simplified Romanesque Revival style jail, built by B. F. Smith Fireproof Construction Company in 1907, is one of the last surviving examples of B. F. Smith’s popular “fireproof” construction methods incorporating a concrete ceiling and floor.
The main exhibit entitled “Stories from Northampton’s Jails” explores events that occurred in 1776, 1889, and 1922 that led to local people becoming inmates of one of the many Northampton jails. The 1776 story reveals what happened when two groups of enslaved men, held in a Northampton jail at separate times, answered Lord Dunmore’s call to join the British and earn their freedom.
Visitors can also view displays providing the history of the 1907 Jail and all the other jails that once stood on the historic Court Green dating back to the 1600s. In addition, a section of the museum provides visitors with information for genealogy research and general research at the nearby Northampton Clerk’s Office which holds records dating back to 1632.
NHPS wishes to acknowledge the generosity of all the individual donors who supported this project to preserve Northampton’s history and give special recognition to The Cabell Foundation and the Eastern Shore of Virginia Community Foundation for grants to help fund the restoration of the 1907 Jail and to the Virginia Humanities for a grant to help fund in part the Jail Museum exhibits.
