
Key Info
Details
- Museums, Sightseeing Type
- 1 to 2 hours Time to Spend
Scorecard
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Value4.0
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Facilities3.5
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Atmosphere4.5
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St. Augustine's Old Jail was built in 1891 to accommodate the city's criminals. Financed by railroad magnate Henry Flagler, the jail was designed to blend in with the rest of the Ancient City's buildings and features Romanesque Revival-style architecture. In 1954, a year after the jail closed, the property reopened as a historic attraction. The facility was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1987.
Past visitors praised the Old Jail's tours, which are led by guides dressed up in period attire. Tours are not only informative, but also offer a glimpse into the conditions prisoners encountered in the jail. If you have an interest in the paranormal, travelers recommended taking the multi-attraction Ghosts & Gravestones tour, which includes a night tour of the Old Jail, along with the Old Drug Store and Potter's Wax Museum.
The Old Jail can be found a mile northwest of downtown's historic area by the Florida Heritage Museum and Ponce de Leon's Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park. To get to the jail, visitors can drive or take the trolley to the No. 1 trolley stop. Free on-site parking is available, as well as restrooms and a gift shop. The attraction is open daily from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Admission costs $9.54 for adults and $5.30 for children 6 to 12. Entrance fees are waived for children 5 and younger, and reduced rates are offered when tickets are booked in advance on Old Town Trolley Tours' website. Travelers who purchase a Ghosts & Gravestones tour ticket or one of Old Town Trolley Tours' attraction packages do not have to pay additional fees to visit the jail.
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