Bidding the Blanco County Jail adieu

JOHNSON CITY, Texas (KXAN) - Across the street from the Blanco County Courthouse in Johnson City sits a seven-bed site criminals called home for 115 years.

“It was built by an expert stone mason, and he did a great job,” said Blanco County Sheriff Bill Elsbury . “What you’re seeing is what was built in 1894.”

The structure is the state’s second oldest still in operation. The Texas Historical Commission plaque outside is about the only addition Sheriff Elsbury said the Blanco County Jail has seen since construction.

“I can tell you this,” he chuckled. “There’s no central air conditioning. There’s no central heat in that jail. This jail is jail.”

With luxuries like that, it is difficult to book a bed here. Blanco County averages 12 inmates a day, so those extra must go elsewhere at a cost to the county.

“We take them out to a different jurisdiction,” said Elsbury. “We take a lot of prisoners to Kerrville, Comanche, New Braunfels, anybody that has the space.”

Once one of the last jails built before the turn of the century to meets jail requirements, it no longer musters the state’s minimum standard.

In his State of the County Speech, Judge Bill Guthrie said, “This year, the jail failed inspection partly due to over-crowding. (The new jail) will give us room for growth for a number of years in the future. Now is a good time to build. We are in the financial position to accomplish these projects without a tax increase and building costs are substantially down.”

Guthrie also said preserving this piece of history is high on his list, most likely making it into a museum. Sheriff Elsbury said he hopes the county keeps it authentic, including the lack of air conditioning.

“I think if you did (add central heat and air),” he explained, “you’d take away from the original structure, so somebody needs to see it for what it is as it is.”

To last a county for this long, Elsbury said, is quite an accomplishment. To continue to serve that county is going beyond a job well done.

“She’s truly paid her way,” he added.

County Commissioners said the new 48-bed jail will cost $6.5 million and should be complete in about two years. Renting out the extra beds to other counties and stopping inmate transportation will save the county a significant amount of money. The old jail will remain in use until the completion of the new structure.

To find out more about the old jail and its only jailbreak, check out Josh’s “ Living Off The Air ” blog.