History

The "Old Jail" was built on Main Street in 1807, next to the (wooden) courthouse that preceded the current brick one. The jailer lived in the front of the building and the cells were in the rear. There was a well in the front yard, and a fence screened it from the street. Only a narrow alleyway divided it, after 1843, from the Whaling Church next door. (Photograph provided courtesy of the Martha’s Vineyard Museum.)

The old jail became obsolete in 1875, due to a state-mandated expansion (for which there was no room) and a state-mandated requirement to add a fire-and-theft-proof vault to the courthouse next door (which led to the addition of the rear wing). Photographs provided courtesy of Martha’s Vineyard Museum.

The "New Jail" (that is, the current one) was built in 1875 on land that had once been Dr. Daniel Fisher's "oil pound:" a fenced enclosure, guarded by a watchman, where he stored casks of whale oil while they were waiting to be refined and graded (or waiting to be sold off-Island). Photographs provided courtesy of Martha’s Vineyard Musem.

The above image is presumed to be a shot of illegal alcohol seized by law enforcement during Prohibition. It is speculated that the far right figure is Sheriff Walter Renear, and the uniformed officer in the center is a Sergeant of the MA State Police. (Photographs courtesy of the Martha’s Vineyard Museum)