Pauly Jail
Pauly Jail
Experience an 1897 Jail!
One of the oldest surviving jail structures in the state, the Pauly Jail, located behind the 1871 Second Empire Style Courthouse, was erected in 1897, restored in 2000, and used as a film set in 2004. The three-story red brick building, Victorian Gothic in style, is almost square in plan and looks like a small donjon or brooding house.
Cement coats the foundation and the lowest courses of brick. Rusticated stone lintels are located over the door and windows. The castle-like facade features small projecting square brick turrets with witch's hats (spiked metal caps) at the corners. The building has a metal hipped roof. The entrance is a single door on the ground level.
On the second floor is the bullpen containing a metal table and benches that served as the eating quarters. To the right of the table is the commode and an open shower for bathing. On the third level, a trap door is set in the floor. The door, which could be opened by pushing a lever, was used for hanging condemned prisoners in the early 1900s.
In 2004, independent film company Strata Production filmed part of "Heaven's Fall" at the Pauly Jail. The movie is based on the historic 'Scottsboro Boys' case, in which nine black youths were falsely accused of raping two white women. The case led to the end of whites-only juries. The film stars Oscar winner Timothy Hutton, B.J. Britt, Anthony Mackie, Azura Skye, and Leelee Sobieski
Building the Jail in 1897
The Bullock County Jail of 1897 replaced the jail of 1868, which stood on West Hardaway Street.
The contract for the Bullock County Jail was submitted to the Pauly Jail Company. The site chosen for the new brick jail was on the Pull House blacksmith lot.
The new jail was built under the supervision of J. A. Youngblood. Sheet metal work was contracted to Frank Anderson of Union Springs. The only wooden materials in the structure are found in the windows and the attic vent above the door. The jail was built at a cost of $7,250.
The Pauly Jail Building and Manufacturing Company was founded in 1856 by Mr. P. J. Pauly, a German-American born in 1832. The company was incorporated in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1885 and is the predecessor of the corporation as it presently exists. The company was the first to succeed after discovering the advantages of steel jail construction.
Looking for an adventure like no other? Look no further than the Pauly Jail in Union Springs. Popular with paranormal groups and ghost hunters, the Pauly Jail can be visited by appointment only. Call the Tourism Council of Bullock County, 334-738-TOUR, for more information