St. Augustine Old Jail

Located on San Marco Avenue in St. Augustine’s Uptown District, the Old Jail Museum offers an educational and intriguing look into what it would have been like to be a prisoner in the Nation’s Oldest City. Visitors can also take a look at the cell blocks, gallows and sheriff’s quarters. See where the sheriff, his wife and children lived, right upstairs from the prisoners, and how they used their own kitchen to prepare meals for the inmates. A tour through this attraction will show visitors what life was like as an inmate and how the Old Jail helped shape St. Augustine’s history. 60 Years of Service For nearly 60 years – until 1953 – the Old Jail served as the St. Johns County facility for petty thieves and hardened criminals. There were even eight recorded executions, two of which were accused murderers. Sim Jackson, who was hanged in 1908 after murdering his wife with a straight razor, is among the group. The Well Known Sheriff Today, visitors learn about the infamous Sheriff Perry, who served from 1889 until 1897 and again from 1901 until 1919. His stature as a “big, bold man” at 6’6” and weighing 300 pounds was intimidating even for the most hardcore of inmates. Though popular in the community, Perry was feared amongst cell inhabitants – both male and female – for his reputation of renting out prisoners to local farmers through a leasing system.

St. Augustine Combo Package

Old Town Trolley Tours: With nearly 500 years of history, including rule by Spain, Britain, and the U.S., St. Augustine is full of sights and attractions that entertain and educate. For over 30 years, Old Town Trolley has provided tours highlighting the best of the city. The Old Jail: Built by Henry Flagler in 1891 and placed on the National Registry of Historic Places in 1987, the Jail was operational for more than 60 years and housed 72 prisoners at a time. Oldest Store Museum Experience: Our local actors and storytellers make this tour with the items and inventions from the turn-of-the-century come to life! St. Augustine History Museum: A combination of historical displays and private collections bring over 400 years of Florida history to life. Relive the story of the first settlement in North America as you visit Castillo de San Marcos, the Spanish fort built in the 17th century. Visit the world famous spring that Ponce de Leon deemed the Fountain of Youth, where you can actually sample the water. Explore the site of the first Mass in America at the Mission of Nombre de Dios. Experience early St. Augustine as you tour old St. Augustine Village, featuring houses from the 18th and 19th centuries. Old Town Trolley Tours makes exclusive stops at the Old Jail, St. Augustine History Museum, Potter’s Wax Museum, the Spanish Military Hospital, and the Ximenez-Fatio House. You’ll also see the Gonzalez-Alvarez House, the oldest documented colonial house in Florida, lived in by British, Spanish and American colonists. Visit the San Sebastian Winery; Explore Flagler College, built by Henry Morrison Flagler, an industrialist, railroad pioneer and oil magnate, who originally used the building as a hotel then known as Ponce de Leon hotel. There’s no better way to see all the St. Augustine attractions than with Old Town Trolley Tours Look for the orange and green trolleys for the best sightseeing tour in town! The Old Jail Take a guided tour led by the “jailers” for a compelling look at the cells where imprisoned men and women once lived, the maximum security area reserved for the most nefarious criminals and a collection of weapons. Visitors can also take a look at the cell blocks, gallows and sheriff’s quarters. See where the sheriff, his wife and children lived, right upstairs from the prisoners, and how they used their own kitchen to prepare meals for the inmates. A tour through this attraction will show visitors what life was like as an inmate and how the Old Jail helped shape St. Augustine’s history. Oldest Store Museum Experience Watch in amazement as our friendly clerks, butcher and snake oil salesman demonstrate the very latest inventions for turn-of-the-century living. Meet the proprietor, Mr. C.F. Hamblen. Step back in time and discover the latest and best time saving miracles from 1900! St. Augustine History Museum Henry Flagler was a powerhouse and catalyst for change in the real estate and transportation industries. His contributions to Florida are documented and displayed throughout the St. Augustine History Museum. As you tour through, you’ll also see authentic artifacts, unpublished photographs and learn about the evolution of St. Augustine and Florida under Spanish and British rule. More than 400 years of history is on display including toys and dolls from the early 19th and 20th centuries, a replica of a Spanish galleon and real gold, silver and jewelry found in lost treasures off the Florida coast. Housed on the Old Jail, the museum offers another level of insight into Florida’s past.