SOCIALIFE
COMMUNITY HISTORY
1910 JAIL
REOPENS AT MOSTHISTORY by Tom Fort, Senior Historian
The death row is empty. The last cell door stands open. Century-old brick walls peer from under restored stucco. For almost 10 years, time stood still in the old Hidalgo County Jail in Edinburg, where a hanging once took place and spirits from the past seemed to hover. But now the jail’s long sleep is about to end! In 2021, fully restored and with all-new exhibits, this 110-year-old treasure is coming back to life again! Closed to the public since 2012, the jail had preservation issues to be resolved. An all-out program to save the jail and
58
SOCIALIFE
return it to its former glory began in 2005. MOSTHistory asked the Texas Historical Commission about architectural firms with special experience in historic buildings. From the THC list the museum contracted with Volz & Associates, an Austin firm familiar with old masonry structures. There was good reason for this. The jail’s solid brick walls had footings planted deep in downtown Edinburg’s high-water table, causing decades of deterioration from “rising damp.” A leaking roof, weathered wooden windows and other problems also needed attention. Chris Hutson of V&A took on the project in 2005, made site inspection visits with engineer Pat Sparks, and in 2006, produced the master plan which has guided the museum through the entire preservation process.
WWW.SOCIALIFERGV.COM
