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Lancaster County Jail
Photo: Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons · tap to enlarge
★ National Historic Landmark

Lancaster County Jail

One of 73 National Historic Landmarks in South Carolina2 of them in Lancaster, the highest tier of the National Register
PalladianListed 1971Lancaster
DirectionsAdd an old photo

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

About

About Lancaster County Jail

Lancaster County Jail, at 208 W. Gay St., was added to the National Register of Historic Places on Aug 9, 1971. It was named a National Historic Landmark on Nov 7, 1973, one of 73 in South Carolina. It was among the first 2 of Lancaster’s 9 listings. The Register lists it for its architecture and social history, at the national level. It describes its style as Palladian, as it does for 9 other South Carolina listings. Four more Register listings are within a quarter mile.

What it isFormer prison in Lancaster, South Carolina, U.S.A. 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 · 17 MB · National Archives↗
Through the years

1823 to today

  1. 1823Built, designed by Robert Mills
  2. 1971Added to the National Register of Historic Places
  3. 1973Named a National Historic Landmark
  4. 2026On the Register for 55 years
Visit

Make it a walk: 5 landmarks in about 20 minutes

208 W. Gay St., Lancaster · about 0.7 miles on foot, as the crow flies

DirectionsWalk the tour in Google Maps
  1. 1Lancaster County JailStart here
  2. 2Lancaster County CourthouseBuilt 1828 · 0.1 mi on
  3. 3Lancaster Presbyterian ChurchEarly Gothic Revival · 0.2 mi on
  4. 4Lancaster Downtown Historic DistrictDistrict · 0.2 mi on
  5. 5Ellen Dean HotelBuilding · 0.2 mi on
Around it

3 more Register listings within 2 miles

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

DLancaster Cotton Oil CompanyIndustrial0.5 miBRobert Barnwell Allison HouseLate Victorian0.6 miBLeroy Springs HouseMcMichael, James M.0.7 mi

Memories of Lancaster County Jail

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

Town Square →
Weigh in
Have you been to Lancaster County Jail?

Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.

TT Weaver · Sep 2026

Lancaster High Memories

Or start one
Have an old photo of it?Add it · +10

Questions about Lancaster County Jail

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

Yes. It was added on Aug 9, 1971 (Register number 71000789).

Is Lancaster County Jail a National Historic Landmark?

Yes, since Nov 7, 1973. South Carolina has 73 National Historic Landmarks, 2 of them in Lancaster.

Can you visit Lancaster 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 Lancaster County Jail?

In its National Register nomination, the form that put it on the Register: a 17 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 118998047 · Wikidata. Map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors.