The old jail in Burlington, Ohio has been on the National Register of Historic places since 1978. This was the second jail built in Burlington after the original jail, a log building with clapboard siding, was set on fire by an inmate in 1846. The following year, a new jail was constructed from stone and was used until 1852 when the county seat was moved from Burlington to Ironton, Ohio.
The old jail was then used as a private residence for many years. By the 1990s, the old jail had been left abandoned and dilapidated. In 2000, a fire destroyed everything except the stone walls. The jail is the last standing government building in Burlington from the time that is served as the Lawrence County seat from1817-1852.
Over the years, there has been some talk of the old jail being haunted, and I do know there have been a few paranormal investigators that have visited the building to search for spirits. I was unable find much information to corroborate the stories, however, I did have one of the investigators that spent an evening there tell me they heard some unusual sounds, one sounding like a lock on a cell door.
This trip was my first time to stop, get out and photograph the building. Out front there is a large sign says the building is the future site of the Underground Railroad Museum at the Historic Lawrence County Jail. I do not believe that the museum has opened at this time. Regardless, this is a nice stop for any history buff. There are several other historic sites nearby, the Macedonia Baptist Church and the Burlington 37 cemetery are only a few miles away and worth a visit.
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