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Chesterfield County Jail and Museum

The old Jail sits next to the County Museum. The historic 1892 Jail is commonly referred to as the “Old Jail.” A two-story granite and brick building, it served as the county prison until 1962. During the 1940’s, the jail also served as Police headquarters and housed the county communications center. In 1982, it was designated a museum and made available to the Chesterfield Historical Society as its first head office location. Upstairs, original iron-barred cells still enclose metal bunks, primitive ablution facilities and graffiti. Downstairs, the space is used for temporary exhibits. The front porch features a stone step preserved from the first Chesterfield County courthouse of 1749.

The structure is a Virginia Historic Landmark. The jail has been renovated and is open to the public.

Chesterfield County Museum is a replica of the 1750 Courthouse and features 400 years of the county’s history, a reproduction of a general store and exhibits on Native American culture, early English settlements, the Revolutionary and Civil Wars and the first iron and coal mines in North America.

A stroll around the museum complex enables visitors to see the 1917 courthouse, monuments to Baptist preachers, Confederate soldiers, and the Chesterfield County Veterans Memorial Wall and Fallen Officer marker. A rotating exhibit space features different displays throughout the year. All tours begin at the museum.