The Norfolk County Jail was a jail located on Village Avenue in Dedham, Massachusetts. It replaced the first Norfolk County Jail on nearby Highland Street. [1] Today, the building is a condominium complex.
Notable inmates included
The two story stone building was built in 1817 and was 33' square. [4] [5] Part of the jail was torn down in 1851 to erect a central, octagonal portion and two wings. [4] [5] It resulted in a building with the shape of a Latin cross, and featured Gothic Revival windows. [5] The three tiers of cells radiated out like spokes from the central guardroom. [5] After it was built, the tools used were auctioned off at Marsh's Tavern. [6]
Ezra Heywood said that "When I stepped over the threshold of Dedham Jail, I stepped from the civilization of the nineteeth century into the barbarism of the tenth century." [7] Two of his fellow inmates were 18 year old men who were sentenced to five years each for stealing $26 worth of hens. [7]
Inmates were housed in the jail until 1992 when the Norfolk County Correctional Center was opened in 1992. [4] A court forced the closure after 13 inmates escaped in 1989. [1] There were at least 27 break outs during the prison's history. [5]
There were two hangings in the central rotunda. [1] First was George C. Hersey on August 8, 1862. [1] Over 300 people received tickets to watch. [1] James H. Costley was hung on June 25, 1875. [1] Again, 300 people watched as his body twitched and convulsed for close to two minutes. [1] One spectator fainted, and others obtained pieces of the hangmans rope to bring home as souvenirs. [1] It was the last execution in Norfolk County. [1]
In 1999, the jail was converted by the Brookline-based Parencorps into a condominium complex known as Stoneleigh. [5] The sale price was more than $1 million. [5] The 24 luxury condominiums were offered for between $450,000 and $650,000, each with between 1,800 and 2,500 sq ft (170 and 230 m2). [5]
Ezra Hervey Heywood, known as Ezra Hervey Hoar before 1848, was an American individualist anarchist, slavery abolitionist, and advocate of equal rights for women.
The Society in Dedham for Apprehending Horse Thieves is one of the "oldest continually existing horse thief apprehending organization in the United States, and one of Dedham's most venerable social organizations." Since its founding there have been more than 10,000 members including heads of state, Supreme Court justices, governors, popes, professors, generals, and other notables.
The history of Dedham, Massachusetts, from 1800 to 1899 saw growth and change come to the town. In fact, the town changed as much during the first few decades of the 19th century as it did in all of its previous history.
The Norfolk County Correctional Center is a house of correction located on the median of Route 128 in Dedham, Massachusetts. The facility has 502 beds and opened in 1992. On average, there are 140 inmates who are serving sentences and 260 inmates waiting for trial. As of May 2019, the superintendent is Michael Harris. Harris replaced James O’Mara, who had served since October 2018.
The Norfolk County Courthouse, also known as the William D. Delahunt courthouse, is a National Historic Landmark at 650 High Street in Dedham, Massachusetts. It currently houses the Norfolk County Superior Court. It is significant as a well-preserved Greek Revival courthouse of the 1820s, and as the site a century later of the famous Sacco-Vanzetti trial. The building was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1972, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It replaced an earlier courthouse, built in 1795.
The Dedham Museum and Archive, is a historical society dedicated to preserving and establishing a greater sense of appreciation for the history of Dedham, Massachusetts. It consists of a museum and an archive. As of 2002, it had nearly 1,000 members.
The Norfolk House also known as the Norfolk Hotel, was a tavern in Dedham, Massachusetts originally built in 1801 and located at 19 Court Street. It hosted John Quincy Adams, Andrew Jackson, and the Marquis de Lafayette.
Nathaniel Ames was an American doctor, politician, and teacher. He represented Dedham, Massachusetts in the Massachusetts Great and General Court.
The Samuel Dexter House is a historic house at 699 High Street, Dedham, Massachusetts. It was built, beginning in July 1761, by Samuel Dexter, a member of the Massachusetts Provincial Congress.
The Norfolk County Jail was a wooden jail located on Highland Street in Dedham, Massachusetts. Following the creation of Norfolk County in 1792, Timothy Gay deeded land to the county for the creation of the jail in October 1794. Construction began that year but it was not complete until 1795. The donated land, next to Gay's tavern on Highland Street, was on the corner of Court Street next to the present day St. Paul's Church.
The Norfolk County Courthouse served Norfolk County, Massachusetts from soon after its establishment in 1792 until 1827. It was replaced by a new Norfolk County Courthouse. In later years, the building was known as Temperance Hall.
St. Paul's Church is an Episcopal Church in Dedham, Massachusetts
The Dedham Bank was a bank in Dedham, Massachusetts. It was located on the corner of High and Pearl Streets.
The Phoenix Hotel was one of the most popular social spots in Dedham during the 19th century. It was located on the northwest corner of the High Street-Washington Street intersection in modern-day Dedham Square. Among the distinguished guests of this hotel were Andrew Jackson and James Monroe.
St. Mary's School and Asylum was a Catholic girls' school and orphanage in Dedham, Massachusetts.
Temperance Hall was an assembly hall in Dedham, Massachusetts associated with the temperance movement. It previously served as the Norfolk County Courthouse.
The history of Dedham, Massachusetts in the 20th century saw great growth come to the town. It played host to the Sacco and Vanzetti trial, saw the Endicott Estate and a number of schools constructed, a great deal of economic development, and growth in the number of services provided by the Town.
19 Court Street is an historic building in Dedham, Massachusetts that was originally built in 1801 as a two-story, Federal-style single-family home. It was soon thereafter converted into a tavern, and hosted John Quincy Adams, Andrew Jackson, and the Marquis de Lafayette. In the 2010s it was converted into apartments. It has more than 15,000 square feet of living space.
Martin Marsh was a mason, tavern keeper, and businessman from Dedham, Massachusetts. He built 19 Court Street in Dedham.
369 Washington Street, also known as the Knights of Columbus building, is a fraternal and commercial building in Dedham, Massachusetts. Today it houses the local Knights of Columbus council and a number of commercial ventures. In the past, the property housed a number of taverns, including the Phoenix Hotel. Several notable guests, including Andrew Jackson and James Monroe, have visited the property.