Churchill County Jail, Fallon, NV - U.S. National Register of Historic Places on Waymarking.com

The Churchill County Jail was constructed using a design created by Reno architect Ben Leon. The construction firm Orchard and Galloway completed the building in 1905. It is approximately 46 feet x 28 feet, and was originally built so that three steps led into the structure, but a combination of events (including the 1907 flood) caused the land to be in-filled and now entrance is at grade level. Two simple stone masonry columns support the porch cover, and the floor appears to be concrete slab (as viewed from the cell areas). Wooden floors are found in the front office and hallway. The roof is hipped, and slightly flared. Old historic photos show the jail originally had 2 chimneys, but one was removed (possibly due to the severe earthquake in 1954). The construction of the walls give this historic building unique character; they are about 20 inches thick, with an outer layer of quarried stone, an interior surface of concrete, and the middle is filled with rock rubble. Interior walls are typical wood-frame covered with plaster. The mortar joists appear to be German Raised Point joints, and are very soft, likely a combination of lime and sand (typical for the time period). Pure lime mortar was not yet common since there were only three "Portland Cement" plants in the United States as of 1883 and it was not until a bit later in the early twenty-first century that supply of pure lime mortar became widely available.

History:

It is likely the first County jail was in Buckland Station (east of Fort Churchill) as that is where the county seat was located in 1861 when the county was established. The county seat was moved several times in the early years of the State. As towns failed to prosper, the county seat would be moved to a more viable location to be near the population growth. In 1864, the County Seat was in La Plata, and moved again in 1867 to Stillwater, where historical records indicate that a small containment "jail" had been hand dug and made of rocks, to house the few individuals that were arrested. A rented house in Stillwell served as the location for county business until an official courthouse was built there. In 1884, a crossroads called "Jim's Corner" began to take shape in Churchill County, with a general store. In 1896 additional business sprang up at the crossroads. In 1902 President Theodore Roosevelt signed the Reclamation Act which began the Newlands Irrigation Project, near the crossroads of "Jims Corner", and prompted the formation of a new townsite at that location, along with a name change from 'Jim's Corner" to Fallon.

Soon, the county seat moved from Stillwater to Fallon, and in 1903 a County Courthouse was built there and included jail cells for inmates. Another prisoner containment building was built on Center Street by See and Wildes for $149. In 1905, the county Commissioners authorized a separate jail to be built. Construction of the new jailhouse was made from dark colored granite stone from a large deposit quarried locally, from Mt. Toyeh (Rattlesnake Hill).

The method used at the time was to cut holes in the rock with hand drills, sledgehammer and other equipment, then six weeks later the holes were filled with water and left to freeze over the winter. The water would randomly freeze and thaw, splitting the rocks and producing blocks of roughly the required size, approximately 21x12 inches, in lengths from 12 to 60 inches. The blocks used on the south facade (facing the street) were quarried and dressed into more precise sizes and layed in a pleasing organized pattern. Less time and effort were given to the blocks on other sides of the building. The Churchill County Jail was completed in 1906, and the first Sheriff was Robert Shirley.

In 1907, Deputy Sheriff Mainie Sanford complained about security issues at the jail, and in shortly thereafter, the County Commissioners provided funds for W.P. Issacs to install bars on the windows. This improved security, but the increase in crime that occurred with the increase in population, due to the work on the Newland Project, caused the County to request additional jail cells to be installed. The Pauli Jail Building Company of St. Louis won the contract to replace the cells and used a creative solution of transporting an entire brig from a Spanish-American war battleship (this project ultimately far exceeded the original budget, costing the county taxpayers $10,365). The building continued in use as a jail until 1973 when a larger facility was authorized, and in 1974 the old complex was given to Churchill County Search and Rescue (the old celblock was cut out with torches and removed). The new jail complex was completed in 1975 at a cost or $800,000.

Source: This information is taken from the official National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form.

Street address: Churchill County Jail 10 West Williams Avenue Fallon, NV United States 89406 County / Borough / Parish: Churchill County Year listed: 2002 Historic (Areas of) Significance: Architecture/Engineering, Event Periods of significance: 1900-1924 Historic function: Government/Correctional Facility Current function: Government Office Privately owned?: no Season start / Season finish: From: 01/01/2012 To: 12/31/2012 Primary Web Site: [Web Link] Secondary Website 1: [Web Link] Hours of operation: Not listed Secondary Website 2: Not listed National Historic Landmark Link: Not listed

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