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National Register of Historic Places

Nelson County Jail

On the National Register since 198739 years
FederalListed 1987Bardstown
DirectionsAdd an old photo

Many listed buildings are private homes. Please enjoy them from the street.

About

About Nelson County Jail

Nelson County Jail, at 111 W. Stephen Foster, was added to the National Register of Historic Places on Jan 8, 1987. The Register lists it for its architecture, at the state level. It describes its style as Federal, as it does for 503 other Kentucky listings. It was listed as part of Early Stone Buildings of Kentucky Outer Bluegrass and Pennyrile TR. Five more Register listings are within a quarter mile.

What it isPrison in Kentucky, United States of America. From Wikidata (CC0). Read about it on Wikipedia ↗

PDFRead the original nominationThe form that put it on the Register, with its history, photos and a map · 7 MB · National Archives↗
Visit

Make it a walk: 5 landmarks in about 10 minutes

111 W. Stephen Foster, Bardstown · about 0.4 miles on foot, as the crow flies

DirectionsWalk the tour in Google Maps
  1. 1Nelson County JailStart here
  2. 2Old Talbott TavernBuilding · next door
  3. 3Bardstown Historic District(Boundary Increase & Additional Documentation)Federal · 0.2 mi on
  4. 4Bardstown Historic DistrictFederal · next door
  5. 5Cobblestone PathLimestone Cobbled-paving · Built 1785 · 0.2 mi on
Around it

8 more Register listings within half a mile

★ National Historic Landmark · D district · B building · S site. Each opens its own page.

BSt. Joseph Proto CathedralFederal · Built 18230.2 miDSt. Joseph Cathedral and College ComplexFederal0.2 miBEdgewoodFederal/Georgian0.3 miBJohn S. Kelley HouseClassical Revival0.3 miBBaldwin's Tourist Court Residence-OfficeBungalow/Craftsman0.3 miBSpalding Hall, St. Joseph's CollegeFederal0.3 miBOld Kentucky Home MotelBuilding0.4 miBOld L & N StationAntebellum Commercial0.4 mi
More like it

Federal style, nearby

Other National Register listings within 25 miles described as Federal.

St. Joseph Proto CathedralBuilt 1823 · 0.2 mi away
St. Joseph Cathedral and College Complex0.2 mi away
Bardstown Historic District0.2 mi away
Spalding Hall, St. Joseph's College0.3 mi away

Memories of Nelson County Jail

The record says what it is. Neighbors know what it means.

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Questions about Nelson County Jail

Is Nelson County Jail on the National Register of Historic Places?

Yes. It was added on Jan 8, 1987 (Register number 87000178).

Is Nelson County Jail a National Historic Landmark?

No. It is on the National Register; Kentucky has 30 National Historic Landmarks. The nearest is Burks' Distillery, 12.9 miles away.

Can you visit Nelson County Jail?

Our record doesn’t say whether it is open to visitors. Many listed buildings are private, so it may only be seen from the street.

Where can I read the history of Nelson County Jail?

In its National Register nomination, the form that put it on the Register: a 7 MB PDF at the National Archives, linked on this page.

Sources: National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places (05/22/2026) · National Archives catalog record 123848098 · Wikidata. Map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors.