100-Year-Old Young County Jail in Jeopardy
The Young County Historical Commission (YCHC) met in an open meeting Saturday, Nov. 13, 2021, to discuss the current threat to the 1921 Young County Jail. The 1921 jail was recognized as a Recorded Texas Historical Landmark by the Texas Historical Commission in 2020, but the building’s future is uncertain.
The Young County Historical Commission believes that the 1921 jail is worth saving for many reasons. The building has historical significance with its role in the Santa Claus Bank Robbery manhunt (see attached picture) and as a record of the story of the oil boom and prohibition in Young County in the 1920s and 1930s. It is the story of county law enforcement from 1921 to 1977 and the home of the Graham Area Crisis Center for more than 30 years. More of this history will be shared in later articles and other public forums. The building, as part of our historic downtown, and its marker will bring visitors to the Graham downtown area. Heritage Tourism, defined by the National Trust as visitors “traveling to experience the places, artifacts and activities that authentically represent the stories and people of the past and present” and represents 10 percent of Texas travel and brings $2.26 billion to local economies each year.
There are those who are of the opinion that the 1921 Young County Jail has no value and have brought up points to back their views. Here is our response:
• The building will not be able to comply with the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) or compliance will be cost-prohibitive to its continued use – ADA compliance revolves around public access and “reasonable accommodations.” If the public does not access the second and third floors, then ADA is not an issue for those two floors. If the first floor is open to public use, reasonable accommodations can be made to provide equal access to disabled persons. A ramp is currently in place to access the building. Historical buildings are allowed some leeway in this, due to the age of the buildings, and grant funds are available to address any areas that must be addressed.
• The 1921 Young County Jail will not meet current building and safety codes – According to the Texas Historical Commission architecture department, historic buildings are allowed variances to certain building codes due to the age and integrity of the buildings. Additionally, this building has had $80,000 to $100,000 of work done to repair any issues within the past five years. A new roof was added in 2016; plumbing and electrical issues were repaired in 2019. The Texas Historical Commission could provide guidance and remediation on any code issues.
• The 1921 Young County Jail is an expense to the taxpayers while it sits vacant – There is minimal expense while the 1921 Young County Jail waits for its next best use. Insurance and keeping utilities on should be the only cost, while tearing the building down will cost significantly more for the taxpayers. The monies invested in the last five years for the upkeep of the jail will be wasted if the building is demolished. To be clear, the Young County Historical Commission is not against a pavilion to meet the needs of our citizens and downtown visitors. Our primary concern is the preservation of the 1921 Young County Jail. A possible solution to this impasse is to build the pavilion on the empty lot on the southwest corner of the Graham square (previously occupied by the 1977 jail) or in the new park west of downtown.
Young County citizens are asking how they can help to save the 1921 Young County Jail from destruction. You can contact your county commissioners, telling them to not deed the jail to the City of Graham. You can share your ideas for a new use for the building. You can participate in the birthday celebration Dec. 2 to help make people aware of this building’s history. The Young County Historical Commission plans to ask the citizens of Young County for their thoughts on this important issue through a petition to begin circulating later this week; you can help in securing support from those you speak with in the community.
The Young County Historical Commission wants to participate in celebrating the 150 years of history of Graham. Preserving this 100-year-old building for future generations should be part of that.
The Young County Historical Commission is dedicated to the protection and preservation of Young County’s rich and unique history for the use, education, enjoyment, and economic benefit of present and future generations.