{"nrhp_refnum":"79002994","name":"Mills County Jailhouse","other_names":[],"category":"building","location":{"address":"Fisher and 5th Sts.","address_restricted":false,"city":"Goldthwaite","county":"Mills County","state":"TX","lat":31.449533142000064,"lon":-98.56903330499995,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1979-05-08","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Politics/Government","Architecture"],"significance_levels":["state"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A two-story limestone county jail at Fisher and 5th Streets, at the Courthouse Square in Goldthwaite, Mills County, Texas, built 1887-1888 by Green and Nichols of Lampasas.","why_significant":"The nomination presents it as the first public building in Mills County and a long-serving jail, in use from 1888 until September 9, 1977. It is also valued for its late 19th-century architecture and its advanced steel and iron cell work, supplied by the Diebold Safe and Lock Company. Reviewers noted it as a well-preserved example of late 19th-century public architecture with documented integrity of materials and craftsmanship.","narrative":"Standing at the Courthouse Square in Goldthwaite, this two-story Victorian jail was built in 1887-1888, soon after Mills County was organized. Green and Nichols of Lampasas won the building contract for $4,550, while the Diebold Safe and Lock Company supplied the steel and ironwork for $4,300. The walls are native limestone laid in coursed ashlar with Cyclopean rustication, topped by an iron cornice with console brackets. The first floor held the jailer's office and apartment, and the second held the cells. The cell block was considered advanced for its time: the caged area is set back from the outer walls by a three-foot run, doors curve outward for strength, and a master locking system works with two handles. Described as the first public building in the county, the jail was in constant use until September 9, 1977, when it was abandoned because it no longer met modern jail standards. County officials hoped to restore it.","period_of_significance":"1800-1899 (specific dates 1887-1888)","architect_builder":"Green and Nichols, Lampasas, Texas","architectural_style":"Victorian, with Cyclopean rustication limestone walls and an iron cornice described as a version of Greek Doric","criteria":[],"status_note":"Unoccupied and publicly owned by the county; the jail was abandoned in September 1977 because its interior no longer met modern jail standards. The county was working on renovation plans. Described as unaltered and in excellent condition.","vacant_flag":true,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:54:19.272011-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/opastorage/live/52/9730/40973052/content/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_TX/79002994.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/79002994/e9ee689969-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/79002994/e9ee689969-1600.webp","licence":"CC BY-SA 4.0","author":"Renelibrary","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:MillsJail1.JPG\" rel=\"noopener\">Renelibrary</a>, <a href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0\" rel=\"license noopener\">CC BY-SA 4.0</a>, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:MillsJail1.JPG"},"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/40973052","wikipedia":null,"wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q107320093"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/texas/mills-county/mills-county-jailhouse-79002994/"}