The Old Jail, Chambersburg

About The Old Jail

The Old Jail is a museum housed in a Georgian building constructed in 1818 that survived the Confederate burning of Chambersburg in 1864. Visitors experience the jail's history through guided tours that lead through rooms containing historical artifacts from Franklin County. The complex includes the original 1818 structure, an 1880 annex, and a yard enclosed by a 20-foot limestone wall. The cellar features five domed dungeons with rings in the walls and floors used to shackle prisoners during more than 150 years of operation. The jail held notorious inmates including Lewis the Robber and Captain John Cook, one of John Brown's men captured after the Harpers Ferry raid. Tradition suggests the dungeons also served as a way-station on the Underground Railroad for runaway slaves. A gift shop is available on-site. The Old Jail is located in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, and was placed on the State and National Register of Historical Sites in 1970.