Feedback Form

Cooper County Jail and Hanging Barn

Cooper County Jail and Hanging Barn
General HistoryGuided Tours
614 East Morgan Street
Boonville Missouri 65233

Information

(660) 882-7977
lat: 38.9767353 long: -92.7418629

While jails are not the most attractive buildings in a community, they have nonetheless always played an important role in a developing society. Such is the case with the Cooper County Jail.

Until its closing in 1978, it was the oldest continuously used County Jail in Missouri. The original structure was completed in 1848 for $6,091.50. Slaves quarried the 2½ foot thick limestone blocks which they used for construction of the two-story building. Each story had one large room, reminiscent of old dungeons, equipped with 1 ¼ inch round rings bolted into the outer walls. The prisoners were shackled to these rings at the feet. The large room on the ground level, known as the “bullpen” held slaves destined for the auction block on Main Street.  In 1871, the appearance of the second-story room was changed with the addition of iron box cells. Brought to Boonville by steamboat from St. Louis, these were installed using the occupants of the jail as laborers. The jail was to receive no additional major changes for another century.

 

The most famous of the many prisoners associated with the Jail was Frank James, brother of Jesse. On April 24th, 1884, James was brought to the Cooper County Jail by Sheriff John Rogers to answer a warrant for his arrest for a train robbery that took place in 1876. Sympathetic citizens of Boonville raised his bond in a matter of hours. The case was later dismissed for lack of evidence.  In 1871, the County Court also authorized the construction of an adjoining sheriff’s residence consisting of three rooms. In a matter of months, it was expanded to include a second story as well as a kitchen addition to the back of the main floor. Numerous other improvements were made including a brick privy, a cistern and a smoke house but none of these out buildings survived.

The last major construction occurred in 1878 with the building of the “stable/jail barn” designed to house the horses of the sheriff in case a posse was needed. It was in this building that one of the last public hangings in Missouri took place.


 

On January 31st, 1930, Lawrence Mabry, 19, climbed the 13 steps to the loft and was “hung by the neck until dead” for a robbery and killing in Pettis County. This hanging was a contributing factor in the elimination of the county capitol punishment. In 1971, the Jail Barn became the first restoration project of the newly created Friends of Historic Boonville.

Every cell has its own history, its own stories to tell. The graffiti-carved limestone rock walls stand as silent witnesses to a way of life beyond our comprehension.

The cells are empty now. But with a little imagination, you can hear the footsteps of the sheriff as he walks across the floor to one of the cell doors. The huge jailer’s keys clang against each other. There is a pause and then the sound of a brass key entering one of the old iron locks. For some, it turns to the right, opening the door and letting them out, giving them a second chance. For others, the key turns to the left, closing the door behind them, sealing their fate.

In 1978, a Federal Court declared the Cooper County Jail “cruel and unusual punishment”, therefore closing the cell doors permanently and bringing to the end of an era of Boonville and Cooper County history. The generosity of the Kemper Foundation of Kansas City and the restoration efforts of the Friends of Historic Boonville have insured that this history will not be forgotten.

Get Directions

Nearby Attractions

Hotel Frederick
Hotel Frederick

Hotel Frederick, High Street, Boonville, MO, USA
Distance: 0.15 mi (straight line)

Bars Food and Drinks Lodging Outfitters

View Listing
Thespian Hall
Thespian Hall

Thespian Hall, Main Street, Boonville, MO, USA
Distance: 0.21 mi (straight line)

General History

View Listing
401 Art
401 Art

401 High St, Boonville, MO, USA
Distance: 0.22 mi (straight line)

Galleries and Venues

View Listing
DAR Headquarters
DAR Headquarters

DAR Headquarters - Roslyn Heights, Main Street, Boonville, MO, USA
Distance: 0.48 mi (straight line)

General History

View Listing
Derailed Coffee
Derailed Coffee

Derailed Coffee Bar & Cafe, West Spring Street, Boonville, MO, USA
Distance: 0.49 mi (straight line)

Coffee Houses Bars Lodging

View Listing
Warm Springs Ranch
Warm Springs Ranch

Warm Springs Ranch, Missouri 98, Boonville, MO, USA
Distance: 8.50 mi (straight line)

Farms Festivals and Events Guided Tours

View Listing
Rocheport Historic District
Rocheport Historic District

Rocheport, MO, USA
Distance: 9.55 mi (straight line)

Cultural Districts

View Listing
Meriwether Cafe and Bike Shop
Meriwether Cafe and Bike Shop

Meriwether Cafe and Bike Shop, 1st Street, Rocheport, MO, USA
Distance: 9.69 mi (straight line)

Bakeries Coffee Houses Food and Drinks Fun and Sports Outfitters

View Listing
Les Bourgeois Vineyards
Les Bourgeois Vineyards

The Bistro on The Blufftop at Rocheport, West Highway Bb, Rocheport, MO, USA
Distance: 10.31 mi (straight line)

Wineries Food and Drinks Festivals and Events

View Listing
Coopers Fort
Coopers Fort

500 Co Rd 330, Franklin, MO 65250, USA
Distance: 10.62 mi (straight line)

Forts

View Listing
Arrow Rock Lyceum Theatre
Arrow Rock Lyceum Theatre

Lyceum Theatre, High Street, Arrow Rock, MO, USA
Distance: 12.67 mi (straight line)

Galleries and Venues

View Listing
J. Huston Tavern
J. Huston Tavern

J Huston Tavern, Main Street, Arrow Rock, MO, USA
Distance: 12.68 mi (straight line)

Food and Drinks

View Listing
Arrow Rock
Arrow Rock

Arrow Rock, MO, USA
Distance: 12.73 mi (straight line)

Cultural Districts

View Listing
Arrow Rock State Historic Site
Arrow Rock State Historic Site

Arrow Rock, MO, USA
Distance: 12.73 mi (straight line)

Museums and Interpretive Centers RV and Camping LC Features

View Listing
Sappington Cemetery State Historic Site
Sappington Cemetery State Historic Site

Sappington Cemetery State Historic Site, County Road AA, Nelson, MO, USA
Distance: 14.76 mi (straight line)

General History

View Listing
Big Bur Oak Tree
Big Bur Oak Tree

The Burr Oak Tree, Columbia, MO, USA
Distance: 15.83 mi (straight line)

Outdoor Experiences Viewpoints

View Listing
Moniteau Creek at Manitou Bluffs
Moniteau Creek at Manitou Bluffs

Moniteau Creek, Missouri, USA
Distance: 16.71 mi (straight line)

Outdoor Experiences

View Listing
Eagle Bluffs Conservation Area
Eagle Bluffs Conservation Area

Eagle Bluffs Conservation Area, Columbia, MO, USA
Distance: 18.55 mi (straight line)

Outdoor Experiences RV and Camping General History

View Listing

Sign Up for the Lewis & Clark Trail Experience Newsletter

Our bi-weekly newsletter provides news, history, and information for those interested in traveling along along the Lewis & Clark Trail.


By submitting this form, you are consenting to receive the Lewis and Clark Travel Experience newsletter provided by the Lewis & Clark Trail Alliance. You can revoke your consent at any time by using the SafeUnsubscribeÂŽ link, found at the bottom of every email. Emails are serviced by Constant Contact.

Instagram Feed