{"nrhp_refnum":"81000631","name":"Hill County Jail","other_names":[],"category":"building","location":{"address":"N. Waco St.","address_restricted":false,"city":"Hillsboro","county":"Hill County","state":"TX","lat":32.01425337100005,"lon":-97.12967066999994,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1981-05-28","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Architecture"],"significance_levels":["local"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A two-story brick county jail built in 1893 in the 100 block of North Waco Street at Paschal Street, Hillsboro, Hill County, Texas, designed by W. C. Dodson.","why_significant":"The nomination presents the jail as an excellent example of nineteenth century Texas public architecture, with castellation then considered fitting for jails and the massive forms and tall windows of 'Texas Courthouse Architecture'. It was designed by W. C. Dodson, who also designed the Hill County Courthouse and many other buildings in north Texas. It was the third jail built in the county and has served as a jail since 1893.","narrative":"Completed in 1893, the Hill County Jail in Hillsboro is a two-story, ell-shaped building of load-bearing brick laid in common bond, set on a concrete foundation. A limestone band wraps the walls, brick battlements surround a steep gable roof, and round limestone-framed windows mark the gables. The front section held the sheriff's and jailers' quarters, while the rear section holds the cell blocks, with concrete floors, corrugated steel barrel vaults and steel cells placed in the centre of rooms so tall windows could be used. Inside, the front hall has a grand stairway with original railings and balustrades. The jail was designed by W. C. Dodson, whose Waco firm also designed the Hill County Courthouse and other buildings in the region. It was the third jail built in the county and has served its original purpose since construction. Local residents hope it can eventually become a museum once a newer facility replaces it.","period_of_significance":"1800-1899","architect_builder":"W. C. Dodson","architectural_style":"Texas Courthouse Architecture (castellated 19th century jail)","criteria":[],"status_note":"Still in use as the county jail and occupied; the nomination says it will eventually be replaced by a more modern facility, and residents hope it will become a museum. Alterations are few and minor, mainly a redone front porch with an added level above.","vacant_flag":false,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:54:18.94814-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/opastorage/live/93/9725/40972593/content/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_TX/81000631.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/81000631/1cf4bbb69b-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/81000631/1cf4bbb69b-1600.webp","licence":"CC BY-SA 3.0","author":"Renelibrary","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:HillCountyJail1color.JPG\" rel=\"noopener\">Renelibrary</a>, <a href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0\" rel=\"license noopener\">CC BY-SA 3.0</a>, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:HillCountyJail1color.JPG"},"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/40972593","wikipedia":null,"wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q107319728"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/texas/hill-county/hill-county-jail-81000631/"}