Candler County Jail

The Candler County Jail is a two-story Colonial Revival style building that was constructed in 1916, and it retains its original porch and doors. Jails built in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries were constructed with fire-proof materials, in this case brick, which reflect the concern for safety not offered in earlier log and frame jails and were also a sign of prosperity in developing counties. The architecture of these jails is expressive of the multi-purposes uses of a jail. In addition to housing prisoners, the building also provided space for cooking facilities, familial living quarters, and the jailer’s office. This building represents the evolution of jails from primitive buildings in the early to mid-nineteenth century to buildings considered modern by the end of the century. Around 1880, there appeared to be more concern for the health of prisoners. New jails provided for prisoners to be housed on the second floor and wooden cells were replaced with metal ones that allowed for better ventilation and light. 

The Candler County jail is also significant concerning politics and government, as it served as the county’s only jail from 1916 until the 1970s. This jail reflects the county government system that developed in Georgia – jails represented law, order, and a sense of community. In most cases the construction of a jail followed the establishment of a courthouse. 

The historic Candler County Jail served in its original capacity until the 1970s when a new county jail was constructed. Since that time, the facility has housed various county offices, including the current Emergency Management Office, as well as Code Enforcement, Victim’s Assistance, and Magistrate Court.  

Candler County Jail, National Register of Historic Places. Accessed December 11th 2020. https://catalog.archives.gov/id/93207210.

Candler County Jail, Wikipedia. Accessed January 21st 2021. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Candler_County_Jail.