Local: PART1: Exploring York, Maine's Historic Gaol (Jail)

Recently we took a tour of York, Maine's historic Gaol, that was first constructed in 1656! The original structure no longer stands, but another was soon built on the same site decades later, and then it was added to many times over, creating a big structure. The tour was a fascinating walk through the 1600s, 1700s and 1800s.There were no ghosts, but in one room I could feel a lot of emotions from the people imprisoned.

(Photo: The oldest room in the gaol. Cold stone walls with no heat during the Maine Winters!)

The Development of York's Old Gaol 150 Years of Construction History 1656 - 1806 

1656 – Maine Provincial Prison. In 1656 John Parker was hired as Maine’s first executioner and prison keeper after a prison was constructed on Gaol Hill. The same year, Robert Cooke of Cape Porpoise became the first person threatened with jail time in Maine’s first prison. It was also known as the "King's Prison" for the King of England.

NO GHOSTS, BUT A LOT OF ENERGY- Imagine being imprisoned in a bare stone cell in the wintertime in Maine... in a room with no heat. People endured that, and their emotions ran high- fear, anxiety and anger. And when I walked into the oldest room of the gaol, which was that stone walled room, I could feel all of those emotions coming from the walls. 

(Sketch: the Old Gaol in 1719. Credit:York Historical Society) 

1707 – York County House of Correction. A House of Correction opened on Gaol Hill, serving as a workhouse for minor criminals and the poor of York County. Inmates in York’s House of Correction repaired shoes and processed flax to pay debts and court-ordered fines.

(Sign: Punishment of Robbery: "shall be punished by a fine, not exceeding 1,000 pounds, imprisonment, fetting in the pillory, whipping, fetting on the gallows or other end thereof throws over the gallows, confinement to hard labor not exceeding three years...") 

1720 – Stone-Walled York County Prison. In disrepair and lacking security, the York County Court ordered the replacement of the 1656 prison with a stone walled building in 1719. The new building was located on Gaol Hill and lumber from the 1656 building probably was used in the new structure.

1729 – Prison House. After 1720 and peace with Canada to the north, York County’s population grew dramatically. With more people came increased crime and the need for greater monitoring of prisoners. In 1729 a small house was built enabling the prison keeper to live on-site.

(Photo: The main room on the second floor atop the stairs/Display of some irons to restrain prisoners)

1737 – Prison Kitchen. Before 1737, food for York’s prisoners probably was cooked off-site. In that year, a kitchen was constructed in a space that formerly served as an open-air prison yard for the exercise of prisoners. The level of the original yard was more than a foot lower than the current kitchen floor, which is why one must now stoop to enter the 1719-1720 stone prison.

1763 – Second Floor Cells. As the 18th century progressed, Americans became more concerned with the treatment of prisoners. With little light and dank conditions, the stone prison cell no longer was used for prisoners once two new cells with tall windows were constructed on the second floor in 1763.

1799 – First Floor Addition and Second Floor Debtor Cell. Economic turmoil brought on by the American Revolution and Independence caused more and more Americans to fall into debt. As a result, in 1799, York County added additional space to the House of Correction, with a large debtors cell built above it on the second floor.

SHOES FOUND- In that second floor debtor cell, under the floorboards, archaeologists found shoes. Prisoners would apparently make shoes for soldiers there.

1806 – Storage Cellar and Room. The York County Court ordered the construction of a cellar in 1806. This space probably served as cool food storage for the House of Correction, with the structure built above it probably functioning as an administrative office and dry attic storage.

For information to visit: Old York Historical Society P.O. Box 312 / 3 Lindsay Rd, York, ME 03909, Visitor Services 207-363-1756, Administration 207-363-4974

NEXT: SOME INFAMOUS PRISONERS OF THE YORK GAOL