Old Frio County Jail
Also known as: Frio Pioneer Jail Museum
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Why it's listed
Built in 1884, the Old Frio County Jail is a two-story plastered brick building at East Medina and South Pecan Streets in Pearsall, Texas. It went up after the railroad arrived in 1881 and the county seat moved from Frio Town to Pearsall in 1883. The county's commissioners contracted with P.J. Pauly & Bro. of St. Louis, Missouri, for $11,000 to build an escape-proof jail. Its design combines Victorian massing with Italianate brickwork, such as hooded window mouldings and corbelled details, and Classical touches including pedimented gables and a dentil-like cornice. Barred windows, metal ceilings and a steel stairway reflect its function, and the first floor east end housed the sheriff and jailer. The jail served continuously until 1967, with only minor repairs. Cells later held seized liquor during Prohibition, and in 1969 the building distributed federal commodities. Since 1975 the county and the Frio Pioneer Jail Museum Association have converted it into a public museum. It is the oldest building in Pearsall.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it an outstanding example of a 19th century Victorian public building in Texas, with Italianate and Classical details and high-quality craftsmanship. Its sturdy design allowed 83 years of continuous county use with only minor repairs. As the oldest building in Pearsall, it is tied to the town's railroad-era founding.
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 79002941, listed November 19, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | E. Medina and S. Pecan Sts., Pearsall |
|---|---|
| County | Frio County |
| Listed | November 19, 1979 |
| Reference number | 79002941 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 (specific date 1884) |
| Architect / builder | P.J. Pauly & Bro., St. Louis, Mo. |
| Architectural style | Victorian with Classicist and Italianate influences |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied and in use as a public museum (Frio Pioneer Jail Museum); condition listed as good and unaltered. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 28.88744, -99.09139 (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.
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 79002941.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q56282643
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.