Cline Blacksmith Shop and Town Jail

Originally built in 1830, this building was used as a Blacksmith shop by the Cline family until 1895 when it went out of business. In 1930, the building was leased by the town and transformed into the Town Jail. The walls were lined with reinforced concrete, bars were installed in the windows, and double doors were put in for extra security. It was also built with hand dressed stone and held together with lime mortar. The windows are at street level, which lead to many people passing bottles of liquor through the bars from the outside. Only one prisoner ever escaped; his friends put a log chain on the bars and fastened that to a truck that took out not just the bars, but also part of the wall. Their efforts were short-lived, as he was caught again the next morning. The rear section of the building collapsed years ago but the front section of the jail remains secure. The building is not currently being used, but is still standing on Main Street.

Mason, Gary. Beyond the Great North Mountain: A History and Guide, December 15th 2016. Accessed August 1st 2020.

McKeever, Kenna. History of Wardensville, West Virginia, January 1st 1957. Accessed August 1st 2020.