Montgomery County Rotary Jail
The Rotary County Jail was built in 1882 on a new design that promised to house prisoners safely and efficiently. The wedge shaped cells surrounded a circular shaft, sort of like a horizontal hamster wheel. The jailer turned a crank that would spin the cellblock around to an opening, allowing one prisoner at a time to leave the cell. The sheriff used the main and second story floors as their residence. The county made modifications to the building to try to meet changing prisoner standards. In 1932, the county immobilized the turntable. Finally, in 1972 they abandoned the jail in favor of a new one. The Montgomery County Cultural Foundation has restored the structure and now operates it as a museum. Out of eighteen similar jails built in the United States this is the only one that still functions. For more tours and more information, contact:
Rotary Jail Museum
225 N. Washington St.
Crawfordsville, IN 47933
Tannenbaum Cultural Center
107 W. Spring St.
Crawfordsville, IN 47933
(located directly behind the Rotary Jail Museum)
Mailing address for both:
Montgomery County Cultural Foundation
P.O. Box 771
Crawfordsville, IN 47933
The Rotary County Jail was built in 1882 on a new design that promised to house prisoners safely and efficiently. The wedge shaped cells surrounded a circular shaft, sort of like a horizontal hamster wheel. The jailer turned a crank that would spin the cellblock around to an opening, allowing one prisoner at a time to leave the cell. The sheriff used the main and second story floors as their residence. The county made modifications to the building to try to meet changing prisoner standards. In 1932, the county immobilized the turntable. Finally, in 1972 they abandoned the jail in favor of a new one. The Montgomery County Cultural Foundation has restored the structure and now operates it as a museum. Out of eighteen similar jails built in the United States this is the only one that still functions. For more tours and more information, contact:
Rotary Jail Museum
225 N. Washington St.
Crawfordsville, IN 47933
Tannenbaum Cultural Center
107 W. Spring St.
Crawfordsville, IN 47933
(located directly behind the Rotary Jail Museum)
Mailing address for both:
Montgomery County Cultural Foundation
P.O. Box 771
Crawfordsville, IN 47933
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