Public Gaol

Dublin Core

Title

Public Gaol

Subject

Block 27. Building 02.
Public Gaol (Williamsburg, Va.)
Public buildings - Virginia - Williamsburg
Historic buildings - Virginia - Williamsburg

Description

Pre-restoration view of the exterior of the Public Gaol, Nicholson Street, Williamsburg, Virginia. Despite its grim role, the northern section of the colony’s Public Gaol survived into the twentieth-century. Built between 1701 and 1705, it served as a secure place to hold individuals awaiting trial at the nearby Capitol building, as well as debtors, occasional pirates, runaway slaves, and the mentally ill. The City of Williamsburg continued to use the building as a jail until 1910. By the time this photo was taken, the structure had fallen into disrepair. Only a small portion of the complex remained standing

Creator

Bullock, Orin Miles Jr.

Date

Circa 1920

Is Part Of

Orin Miles Bullock Jr. Photograph Collection, AV2010.2, Box 1

Format

jpeg

Extent

1 photograph

Type

Image

Identifier

Bull-007

Rights Holder

Special Collections, John D. Rockefeller Jr. Library, The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation

Still Image Item Type Metadata

Original Format

Gelatin silver print

Physical Dimensions

5 x 7 inches

Citation

Bullock, Orin Miles Jr., “Public Gaol,” John D. Rockefeller Jr. Library, Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, accessed March 28, 2024, https://rocklib.omeka.net/items/show/4447.