All kinds of hidden secrets can be found within the century-old walls of the Lumpkin County Jail. And on the floorboards, too. That much became apparent on one rainy weekend in April, as Museum Director Darrell E. Woodall and his fellow Lumpkin County Historical Society members noticed a series of prominent scratches in the wooden planks within an old cell of the East Main Street building that will be opening up to visitors this July 4th.
“We’re standing here on Bear on the Square weekend on Sunday when it’s raining and there’s nobody here,” he said. “And we’re just sitting looking at it and someone said ‘What’s that there?’”
That was a name, faintly etched into the floor.
“We got a bucket of water and cleaned it off and found out it said ‘Albert Henson 1906,’” said Woodall.
Of course, the room full of historians made quick work of the bygone-era mystery.
Local history guru Chris Worick delved into the digital Nugget archives and was able to determine that Henson was a repeat “guest of the county.”
“Albert Henson had a lot of frequent flyer miles in the old jail,” he said. “In this particular case in question, based on the date of his carving, he was in for giving false swearing or false testimony in April 1906.”
Indeed a look at an old 1906 Nugget says just that.
“It was really interesting,” said Worick. “I’m sure if we were to go through there with a fine toothed comb, we’d find the names of a lot of inmates.”
Some more prominent messages don’t require any combing.
“This is some of the graffiti the people left in jail,” said Woodall while standing in the same cell.
The recently discovered hand-drawn etchings are partially covered in plaster and depict two men standing next to a rifle. Next to the drawings are what appears to be some kind of message hidden tantalizingly underneath the rest of the plaster.
What do those words say? No one knows.
And Woodall said he’s not sure he wants to know either, since it might not be something printable.
“After all these guys are not exactly the cream of society,” he said with a grin.
And some inmates left their mark in a much different way.
The end of the hallway is scorched from a long ago ill-fated escape attempt that literally went up in flames.
“A couple of prisoners decided to burn their mattresses,” Woodall said. “They were going to run out the door while the sheriff was putting out the fire. But he was smart. He locked the door first and said ‘You’re going to help me now.’ And then they didn’t have mattresses.”
LOCKED UP AT HOME
Woodall has been spending a lot of time in jail these days. But, of course, his sentence is completely voluntary in the old building that housed Lumpkin County prisoners for decades spanning from the 1884 to 1964.
As a retired history teacher this is just the kind of assignment that’s right up his alley.
“It’s the most solid jail I think I’ve ever seen or heard of. Not that I’ve been in a lot of them,” he said with a laugh.” “…. And as we do more research we’re finding more and more things.”
Recently even more history arrived at the jail in the form of stacks of Civil War-era letters from Captain Jesse McDonald. The aging documents were dropped off in a suitcase by an out-of-state relative.
“They called us up and said ‘Would you like them?’” said Woodall. “And I said ‘Does Santa Claus have a beard?’”
Recently Woodall and his fellow historical society members have been carefully studying the handwritten letters and documents as they decipher the faded cursive scrawled by the local historical figure.
The volunteers are going to find a way to display them for the public alongside the numerous other displays which demonstrate life in the old jail which, it turns out, wasn’t home to only lawbreakers.
“The sheriff and his family lived here too, Woodall said. “… This was their house.”
DOING TIME
Since the building is manned by a team of volunteers it’s only occasionally open to the public.
“We’re open three times a year for sure,” said Woodall.
One of those days will be Thursday, July 4 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Those looking to get locked-up for a while can drop by and take a free tour of the old jail.
And don’t worry. Unlike other past guests of the county, you’re free to leave at any time.