Museum Exhibit
New Chesterfield Museum Exhibit...
The Chesterfield County Historical Society (CHSV)
Opening of New Exhibit
Announcing the opening of a new exhibit detailing the historic jails that confined prisoners in Chesterfield from the mid-1700s through 1962. Learn about the jail buildings, escape attempts, trials and punishments of long ago. This exhibit is located at the Historic 1892 Jail and will be available to view during regular museum hours.
The exhibit is expected to be permanent, to tell the full story of the history of Chesterfield County’s many jails over the centuries. Also to provide details on some of the more interesting crimes in the county: for example, the Baptist Preachers Trials (1770s), the Beattie murder (1911), the Ritchie/Pleasants Duel (1846), and more.
The HISTORIC 1892 JAIL
Tours of the Historic 1892 Jail start at the County Museum.
Adjacent to the County Museum, the Historic 1892 Jail is commonly referred to as the “Old Jail.” A two-story granite and brick building, it served as the county prison until 1962. During the 1940s, the jail also served as Police headquarters and housed the county communications center. In 1982, it was designated a museum and made available to the Chesterfield Historical Society of VA as its first head office location. Upstairs, original iron-barred cells still enclose metal bunks, and graffiti. The front porch features a stone step preserved from the first Chesterfield County courthouse of 1749. Stepping on that front step is like stepping into history!