Old Jail Museum

203 N Jefferson Avenue
Iola, Kansas 66749
(620) 365-3051

May through September
tours at 1:30 PM & 3:30 PM
on Tuesday through Saturday.
Rest of year by appointment only.
Free

Allen County Jail Museum Map

Allen County Jail Museum - Iola, Kansas
Old Jail Museum - Iola, Kansas
Allen County Jail Museum - Iola, Kansas

The Old Allen County Jail in Iola, Kansas was built in 1869 and operated continuously until 1958. During part of its active life, the second floor housed the jailer and his family, but for most of the 90 years the jail was in use, there were cell blocks on both the first and second floor.

The Allen County Jail was officially completed on October 7, 1869 and cost $8,400 to construct. It is 30 feet across by 47 feet deep and the limestone walls are over 2 feet thick.

Although the Allen County Jail was described as being "strong enough to hold the strongest, slipperiest, and most expert of law breakers," in less than a year, six prisoners escaped by sawing off two of the bars of a window grate. There were several other jail breaks over the years.

In June of 1870, Elsy Dolson, who was charged with murder, was taken from the jail by a mob and handed in a barn southwest of Iola.

The Allen County jail was used continuously from October 1869 until December 2, 1958, when the five prisoners then in the jail were transferred to the jail constructed in the new Allen County Courthouse across the street on the square. The old jail was opened as a museum on May 20, 1962, and was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1977.

Today the first floor's solitary confinement cell and steel cage cell block are much as they were when the jail was closed in 1958. The second floor has rooms furnished with artifacts from the late 1800s. Photos are only permitted on the first floor, but that is the most interesting part of the museum.

Allen County Jail visiting hours - Iola, Kansas
Jail visiting hours sign.

Allen County jail cell
One of the four cells in the Allen County jail's first floor cell block.

Allen County jailhouse graffiti
Although some graffiti considered obscene was removed, other graffiti remains
as it was in 1958. This is from the ceiling of one of the jail cells. Other graffiti
lists the names of and home towns of inmates. Some previous inmates have
toured the Old Jail Museum.

Allen County Jail's drunk tank in Iola, Kansas
Isolation cell used for the rare female prisoners. At other times it was the Allen County Jail's drunk tank.

Old Jail Museum - Iola, Kansas
Rear view of the Old Jail Museum in Iola, Kansas. The door at the second floor rear was used by the jailer's
family when they lived in the jail building.

Allen County Jail Museum Map - Iola, Kansas
Allen County Jail Museum Map

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