The Houston Jail in Winston County is the only surviving log jail in north Alabama and the second-oldest log jail in the nation. Constructed around 1868 from hand-hewn hardwood logs, the jail replaced an earlier one destroyed by pro-Union men in the county during the Civil War.
The logs were covered on the inside by boards measuring over two inches thick and 12- to 14-inches wide. The boards were cut from native timber at the nearby water-powered Partridge Mill on the Sipsey River. Once secured, the boards were peppered with horseshoe nails made by a local blacksmith and placed close together to discourage prisoners from attempting jail breaks by sawing through timbers.
The jail had two rooms. Sanitary facilities were small holes in the back wall. When the county seat moved to Double Springs following the formation of Cullman County, the old jail was abandoned. It served as a private residence as late as the 1960s. In 1975, the jail was donated to the people of Winston County by Marshall Alford and listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Bust of former Alabama Gov. John Anthony Winston - Photo by Beverly Crider
Houston was once home to a two-story log court house, jail, and several other buildings housing doctors, lawyers, blacksmiths, a county newspaper, and various mercantile businesses. Today, the jail is the only surviving building from that period in the history of the old ghost town of Houston.
Located off Winston County Road 63, the jail is open year-round. A guest register records visits from 48 states and 18 countries. Donations are accepted to maintain the grounds.
As part of the Dash of the Unexpected GeoTour, please be sure to save the point value for the cache on your passport. Passports are available at Go to northal.org/things to do /Sports and Recreation/geocaching