The Old Lock Up

The "Lock Up" before renovation.

Above: The Second "Lock-Up" in Waynesville
on Chapman Street

The "Old Lock Up" pictured above was a combination of firehouse and jail for the village of Waynesville. The date of its construction is not known. It is, however, fairly clear that the building was built after 1879.

During the notorious triple murder in Waynesville in 1879, the jail-"lock up" that held Daniel R. Anderson was a single iron cell in a brick building rented by the village located behind the old Waynesville House (The Cornell House, also known as the Miami House, and various other names), which was located on the northeast corner of North Main and North Streets. The village leased the building and adjoining land of David Mason for $60.00 per year (Miami-Gazette, July 11, 1871). On the next day the following was published:

Lock Up: The lockup so long talked of has at length been purchased at a cost of something over $200.00. It is to be here within ten days, and placed in the little brick house back of the late Waynesville hotel. Who will be the first to honor it with their incarceration remains to be seen. We wish nobody, but there is too much probability that the iron cage will contain many an unruly devotee of Bacchus (Miami-Gazette, July 12, 1871).

A similar style movable single jail cell can still be seen today in Corwin, Ohio in the council house in the back room.

It was later reported, with tongue firmly inserted in cheek, in the Miami-Gazette, August 9th, 1871:

THE LOCK UP: This long expected institution has at last arrived. Its anticipation and its ultimate appearance have created a first class sensation. Men and boys have been in a state of excitement bordering on frenzy; and no one will deny that it is a matter of the gravest importance, indeed it would be very irreverent in our people not to regard the establishment of this thing among us as one of the grandest occurrences of the nineteenth century. So let us be thankful that we have been afforded a temporary escape valve for our pent up emotions. Seriously, the village prison is a good thing. The cage occupies one room, while the other room in the house is fitted up conveniently for the Mayor's court, council room, and whatever else may be desired. Iron gratings are put on the outside of each window and the doors are nailed and crossed until the whole thing has a formable and prison like appearance, terrible to behold. May it awe all evildoers into good behavior.

The village of Waynesville, as early as 1866, felt the need for a jail and passed an ordinance to provide for the borrowing of money for a jail, $400.00 (Miami-Gazette, July 17th, 1866). Apparently, the issue wasn't resolved until 1871 when the Mason building was rented and an iron cell ordered. The present standing Waynesville Lock-Up (see photographs), which has been restored and is located on Chapman Street, was built sometime after the triple murder around 1881.

There possibly was another old log tavern building that faced the old "Public Square", which served as a "lock up" before the Civil War. Judge John W. Keys recalls that, "In 1810, Samuel Test sold to Daniel Hammell lots 5 and 6 in Miami Square (where the livery stable was in 1870), for $50. Hammell built a large log house of two stories there, plastered outside with a walk round front to the second story, it was peculiar in its structure, facing three points to the street. I do not know how long Hammell remained there, but the house was afterwards owned by Richard Cunningham. In 1820 it was occupied by Levy Johnson and shortly after that by Brady. No tavern was kept there after about 1824. The building was remembered by the older citizens here as the 'Old Penitentiary'."

The "Lock Up" building today serves as an interpretive center for the Accommodation Line Scenic Byway, a 10.4 mile route running from Spring Valley to Waynesville, part of the historic Accommodation Stagecoach Line (also see John Satterthwaite).

Also see,

http://www.ohiobyways.com/Accommodation.htm