History of The Old Charleston Jail

The Whispers of Charleston · Aug 12, 2026 · 4m

Completed in 1802, Charleston's Old County Jail is a combination of three buildings: the main cell block, a large, rectangular building; the jailer's quarters, located at the front of the jail on Magazine Street: and the octagon. in the back. South Carolina was the last colony to have a prison. Before the jail was built, prisoners were held in private homes, creating many problem not the least of which was the escape of convicts. The first prisoners were housed here in 1803.

The main cell block was built between 1797 and 1802. At the time, there was no water suitable for drinking available at…