St. Augustine Old Jail Tour

Make the most of a guide-conducted tour of St. Augustine Old Jail to explore the maximum security general population section, women prisoners’ cells, and the dreaded gallows. Tour guides and delegates narrate tales of inhuman treatment meted out to prisoners on death row, grisly hangings, and miserable living conditions.

Walk around the historic Old Jail building remodeled into a museum, supervised by a professional guide
Travel around the northern and southern wings of the two-storied penitentiary that was transformed into a wayside tourist attraction
See the armaments exhibits and displays together with the graphic documentation of the 19^th century executions in the jail museum
Check out the sheriff’s office and his family’s living quarters in the jail’s southern wing
Smartphone Voucher Accepted (No need to print)

The Old Jail is a historic building in the coastal city of St. Augustine, Florida that functioned as a full-scale prison for 63 years. The St. Augustine Old Jail, situated at 167 San Marco Avenue was renovated and converted into a museum by Henry “Slim” McDaniel, an entrepreneur. The US National Register of Historical Places listed the Old Jail as a structure having historical significance, worth conserving. The original prison could accommodate a maximum of 72 convicts with the two-storied northern arm comprising a kitchen, women’s wing, and a general inmates’ section. The southern wing also has two floors that house the office of the sheriff on the 1^st floor and his residence on the upper floor.

St. Augustine Old Jail originally called the ‘St. Johns County Jail’ operated as a penitentiary from 1891-1953, and thereafter converted into a jail museum. You can access the prison only and only under the supervision of an experienced, certified guide garbed in period costumes. Your guide will take you on a trip around the penitentiary, parading in the new inmates dressed up as prisoners of yore.

You’ll gasp in awe and dread when you visit the maximum-security zone where the most brutal convicts were housed. The section also includes a cell where jailbirds on death row were accommodated. You’ll come to know from your tour guide that eight prisoners who were awarded the death sentence were hanged in the jail compound’s gallows.

Additionally, you’ll be aghast to learn that many prisoners lost their lives due to violence and pestilence much before they could complete their term. You’ll see a massive cache of arms and ammunition that were used for committing a wide variety of crimes. The original prison building was built by St. Louis-based P.J. Jail Building and Manufacturing Company in 1891.

Henry Flagler, a renowned industrialist and entrepreneur funded the building’s construction after striking a deal with St. Johns County. The Old Jail was in operation till 1953 after which the facilities were shifted to a newer structure. Another capitalist Henry McDaniel bought the original structure for transforming the building into a jail museum.

The Old Jail featuring a Romanesque Revival architectural style appeared very much like an old Victorian house but only externally. Anybody living in those times could’ve mistaken the Old Jail structure for a hotel or a mansion. After all, Henry Flagler who constructed a hotel in the area where the first jail compound was located, wanted a safe haven for his clients. Get the opportunity to visit this great place from the past by booking your tickets now!

Tour of Authentic Old Jail

Hotel Pick-up & Drop-off
Lunch
Gratuities.

Departure Point: Old Jail, 167 San Marco Ave, St. Augustine , FL 32084. (Please arrive 15 minutes prior to departure time)

Mobile and paper vouchers are both accepted.

You will receive a ticket in exchange for your voucher, which you must keep until the expiry date/ tour.

Please check your ticket to know when it expires.

After exchanging your voucher for a ticket, your voucher will no longer be valid.

In loss of voucher/ticket, company is not liable for any refund.

Tickets are valid until end of business day on date of use.
Reservation Notes: Reservations are NOT needed or accepted. Tickets can be used on any operating day within 12 months of the purchase date.

Booth Location: Tour departs from Old Jail, 167 San Marco Ave, St. Augustine , FL 32084.

Age Requirements: Child ticket is for ages 4-12. Under 4 are free.

Parking: Free parking for patrons at The Old Jail.
Nearest Intersection: San Marco Avenue and San Carlos Ave.

You must cancel your booking at least 24 hours before the start time of the activity/experience to get a complete refund.
If you cancel your booking less than 24 hours before the start time of the activity/experience, you will not be reimbursed.
Any modifications made less than 24 hours before the start time of the activity/experience will not be allowed.
The cut-off times are determined by the activity/experience's local start time.
This activity/experience is weather dependent. If it is cancelled due to inclement weather, you will be given an alternate date or a full refund.