Hampton County Jail

Front: This brick building was built in 1878-79 to house the Hampton County Jail. Its construction, as well as the building of the county courthouse, followed Hampton County’s creation in 1878 from a portion of Beaufort County. Living quarters for the jailor’s family were located on the first floor. Prisoners were held on the second floor and segregated by race and gender. One room contained a six-cell cage complex where African American men were confined. Reverse: Hampton County Jail became notorious for unsanitary and unsafe conditions. In 1919 it was rated the worst county jail in the state, prompting renovations. By 1926 it was among S.C.’s highest-rated jails. It was replaced in 1977 by a new facility built in Varnville. This building then housed the S.C. Dept. of Wildlife & Marine Resources, Hampton County Historical Society, and Hampton County Museum. The building was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 2011.