Oconee County Jail
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Oconee County Jail
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Formerly listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places
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| Location | Short St., Walhalla, South Carolina |
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| Nearest city | Walhalla, South Carolina |
| Coordinates | 34°45′53″N 83°4′6″W / 34.76472°N 83.06833°WCoordinates: 34°45′53″N 83°4′6″W / 34.76472°N 83.06833°W |
| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1901 |
| Demolished | ca. 1985 |
| MPS | Oconee County Penal System TR |
| NRHP Reference # | 82001524 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | November 14, 1982 |
| Removed from NRHP | December 12, 1989 |
The old Oconee County Jail was a former jail located on Short Street in Walhalla, South Carolina, in Oconee County. The jail was located on the grounds of the current Oconee County Courthouse. It was named to the National Register of Historic Places on November 14, 1982 along with the Oconee County Cage. At the time of its listing, the jail was one of the few remaining nineteenth or twentieth century jails in upper northwestern South Carolina. It was demolished around 1985. Subsequently, it was delisted on December 12, 1989.
In the early twentieth century, county jails were primarily for holding individuals who were awaiting trial that could not afford bail. Male convicted prisoners were either sentenced to hard labor on the county chain gang or sent to the state penitentiary. In 1916, about 94% were in county chain gangs and about 6% were at the state penitentiary. In this period of racial segregation, white prisoners were separated from African-American prisoners.
Instead of being housed in the county jail, chain gangs were housed in cages, cars, or tents near the work site. The cages and cars could be used to also transport the convicts.
Oconee County was formed in 1868 and Walhalla was made its county seat. In the next year, a contract was given to build a wooden jail. In 1901, the South Carolina General Assembly loaned Oconee County USD $12,000 to construct a new jail and for repairs and remodeling of the county courthouse.
A new location for the jail was chosen behind Main Street between Church and Tugaloo Streets. It was completed by at least 1906. It was used by the county sheriff and as a jail until 1978.
A report from a 1915 visit by the Board of Charities and Correction indicated that the average number of prisoners was 3.7. The white male prisoners were kept in a large room. African-American prisoners were kept in four cells. There was one room for female prisoners, but it was rarely occupied. Oconee County was one of the few in South Carolina that served three meals each day. The prisoners did practically no labor.
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