Old Gaol of the Nantucket Historical Association

Vestal Street
Nantucket, MA,
Phone: 508-228-1894 Museum Shop: 508-228-5785 Fax: 508-228-5618
Category: Nantucket - Attractions
Description:
The Old Gaol

Nantucket built its first jail in 1696 on Vestal Street in response to its emerging status as an international seaport, which brought with it an increase in the number of transient visitors.

In 1805 taxpayers decided to spend $2,090 (roughly the cost of building a whaleship at the time) to build a new, sturdier penal facility also on Vestal Street. Opened in 1806 and dubbed the "New Gaol," the wooden structure represents colonial architecture with exceptional reinforcements.

The New Gaol was constructed using massive oak timbers with iron bolts running the length of the walls, iron rods across the windows and heavy wooden doors reinforced with iron.

The solidly built jail forced prisoners to come up with creative escape plans. Archival material held at the NHA Research Library contain many accounts of successful and unsuccessful prison-breaks, including one of a 15 year-old boy who crawled out the chimney flue, and of a prisoner who had a key delivered to his second floor window by a woman using a block and tackle pulley system constructed for the purpose.

1933 saw the last prisoner housed in what is now known as the "Old Gaol." The town closed the property and deeded it to the Nantucket Historical Association in 1946.


Source: NHA


General Information - NHA Administrative Offices
Location: 15 Broad Street
Telephone: 508-228-1894
Museum Shop: 508-228-5785
Fax: 508-228-5618
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