The Old Jail
Barnstable's Old Jail is the oldest wooden jail in the United States. It was built on the orders of the Plymouth and Massachussetts Bay Colony courts in around 1690, and it served as the Barnstable County jail until 1820.
The six cells remain intact, providing a vivid experience of the harsh conditions for inmates.
It used to stand on Old Jail Lane in Barnstable Village, and was moved in 1972 to its present location on Cobb's Hill in the grounds of the Coast Guard Heritage Museum.
There are rumors of hauntings and paranormal activity, and the Old Jail is the start and end point for tours of haunted attractions in Barnstable Village.
The Old Jail was a pre- and post-trial detention facility for criminal defendants and imprisoned debtors. Generally, only the poorest or unliked defendants found their way into the jail because colonial judges generally granted bail. Wealthy persons generally avoided confinement by paying bribes.
Conditions were very harsh. There was little food and no heating in the winter. The cells are windowless and have the original locks and iron bars. Visitors can see original graffiti on the cell walls dated 1698, 1798 and 1808.
Legend has it that Goody Hallett, the girlfriend of pirate Samuel Bellamy, spent some time in the Old Jail.
