Historic SDG Jail

The County Jail building was originally constructed in 1833 and remained operational over a period of 168 years until it was closed in 2002. The facility housed inmates from Cornwall and across the modern day United Counties of Stormont, Dundas, and Glengarry. Men, women, and children of all ages were incarcerated in the Jail for ious types of offenses, including being in debt and committing murder. Over the years, five inmates were officially executed by hanging behind the Jail walls for the crimes they had been found guilty of committing; the last execution took place in 1954.

Visitors are able to tour through the cell blocks, exercise yard, governors’ residence, guards’ station and more, as part of this unique experience to see what life would have been like behind the walls of the County Jail. The County Jail is maintained in almost the same condition as it was upon its closure with historical artifacts and displays arranged around the building. This historical site is now considered one of the oldest public structures in Ontario, as guided tours are available to the public.