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| 2005 Designees |
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Herkimer County Jail
Herkimer,
Herkimer County
landmark status: State and National Register-listed.
threat: deterioration
and vacancy.
This stately limestone Federal style building
was constructed in 1834 as the county jail and continued to serve
that purpose until 1977. It is located at a “four corners” intersection
distinguished by National-Register landmarks including the county
courthouse. The jail has received limited maintenance despite sporadic
use by the county historical society and several tenants. In 2003,
the county shut off the utilities, leading to further deterioration.
This historic building is best known as the jail which held Chester
Gillette, the convicted murderer whose story was the basis for
Theodore Dreiser’s fictional account, An American Tragedy.
The League can assist with any potential transfer of the property
from the county and support for a new not-for-profit group in an
underserved area formed to preserve this building but with a county-wide
mission. This listing furthers the League’s work on the issue
of abandonment, use and reuse of municipally owned landmarks. It
also relates directly to two other county courthouse/jail preservation
efforts receiving League assistance, one in Seneca (“The
Three Bears’) and the other in Washington (Old Salem Courthouse)
counties, thereby strengthening a network of like-minded stakeholders.
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