In the modern era, it is quite simple for a police officer in York County to transport a prisoner to Central Booking or to the York County Prison. However, in the early years of law enforcement, traveling from the outlying towns to York with a prisoner was a full day trip by horse, or a long trip by train.

For this reason, many towns had local jails or lock-ups. Some of these jails were located in municipal buildings, such as the basement of a fire station or town hall. In other cases, a small, simple building was constructed to serve as the lock-up.

The Police Heritage Museum is attempting to document these local jail facilities, including both existing lock-up facilities and those that have been lost to time.

Delta

The Delta jail was located along the Maryland & Pennsylvania Railroad's tracks in the borough of Delta in southeastern York County.

This early 1900s photograph shows the jail, the small building just to the right of bottom center, across from the Maryland & Pennsylvania Railroad's turntable.

The Delta lock-up was constructed of Peach Bottom slate, a durable slate that was mined in the Delta area. The thick stone walls were a suitable deterrent to any prisoner thinking of escaping.

The inside of the lock-up consisted of two separate cells, and a small vestibule where a woodstove provided heat in the colder months. A single barred transom window provided the only natural light inside the building, and a small vent at the peak of the roof provided the only ventilation for the cells.

The Delta lock-up is now privately owned.

Dover

The Dover jail was constructed in 1904 from cut red sandstone, a rock indigenous to the Dover area. A louvered cupola at the peak of the roof would have provided ventilation for the cells. The lock-up has three windows, two in the left side wall and one in the rear wall opposite the door.

The lock-up was originally located at the intersection of City Hall Drive and Herrold Drive, two small alleys about a block north of the Dover square.

The Dover jail was relocated from its original location to the Dover Community Park on West Canal Road in Dover Township.

The inside of the lock-up currently has none of the cells that were once in the building. It is presumed that the cells would have been located on the side of the building opposite the door and windows. The number of cells that were in the building is not currently known.

The Dover lock-up is now publicly owned.

Fawn Grove

Information coming soon.

New Freedom

One of the lock-ups currently being researched is the New Freedom jail.

The New Freedom jail was located along the tracks of the Northern Central Railway in southern York County, next to South Front Street behind the J.D. Bailey building, as seen in this postcard image.

The building was constructed of brick, and had one window with iron bars and a solid door. A chimney was located at the rear of the roof, indicating a wood stove was most likely located in the cell.

We do not currently know if the building still exists or has been lost to time.

Red Lion

Another lock-up currently under research is the Red Lion jail.

The following information on the lock-up is found in the Red Lion souvenir history book from their golden anniversary in 1930:

"It took Council from 1881, to October 1886, to decide on the location of a lock-up, and then the building of same was left to Chief Burgess, E. E. Roser."

The building is still in existence, and we are pursuing additional information.

Seven Valleys

The Seven Valleys jail was located near the Northern Central Railroad's tracks in the borough of Seven Valleys along Cherry Street.

The Seven Valleys jail consisted of two cells, and a common area with a wood stove. The building was also used as the borough office into the 1980s.

The building still stands near the current U.S. Post Office in Seven Valleys, and is privately owned.

Shrewsbury

Another of the lock-ups currently being researched is the Shrewsbury jail.

The Shrewsbury jail was near the intersection of Main Street and Clearview Avenue, near the first public school building.

We are currently seeking additional information about this building.

Anyone with any additional information on these or any other York County lock-ups are encouraged to contact us.

Return to the Virtual Exhibits Page.

Go to the PHM home page.