Old Wilkes County Jail
Why it's listed
Built on a hillside in Wilkesboro, the old Wilkes County jail is a rectangular two-story brick building with a low hipped roof and interior end chimneys. Construction was authorized in February 1856, on the former north public spring lot, and the building was finished by February 1859. One side held the cells, while the other held the jailer's residence. Inside, a center passage divides a large cell, once split into two with corner fireplaces, from the jailer's rooms. Much original hardware survives, including strap hinges, early locks, an unusual semicircular iron cell door and primitive wooden toilet boxes. During the Civil War the jail stored Confederate provisions as well as prisoners. Afterward, Tom Dula, subject of the ballad "Hang Down Your Head Tom Dooley," was held here until his defense attorney, former Governor Zebulon Vance, won a change of venue. It is regarded as one of North Carolina's best preserved nineteenth century jails.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it one of the best preserved examples of nineteenth century penal architecture in North Carolina, noting the survival of its primitive security and sanitary devices. It also served as a Confederate storehouse and prisoner facility during the Civil War and held Tom Dula, of the ballad "Tom Dooley," after the war.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 71000628, listed February 18, 1971. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | N. Bridge St., Wilkesboro |
|---|---|
| County | Wilkes County |
| Listed | February 18, 1971 |
| Reference number | 71000628 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 19th Century |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as fair condition, altered, on its original site, and marked as not in use; owned by the Town of Wilkesboro. |
| Acreage | 0.5 |
| Within district | Downtown Wilkesboro Historic District |
| Coordinates | 36.14902, -81.15231 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 71000628.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q20858179
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.