Crime and Punishment: A Look Inside the Old Jail (Chambersburg, PA)

There’s something about old jails that both creeps me out and intrigues me—the heavy iron bars, the cold stone walls, and that unmistakable feeling that history (and maybe a few ghosts) never really left. So when I was in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, I had to check out the Old Jail.

Fun Fact: See how the windows on the left side of the Old Jail don’t have bars? That’s because the sheriff and his family lived there! And get this—the sheriff’s wife even cooked meals for the prisoners in the basement kitchen. Can you imagine living right next to a bunch of inmates?

Inside the Old Jail

Built in 1818, the Old Jail is one of the few buildings in Chambersburg that survived the town’s burning by Confederate forces in 1864. It functioned as a jail until 1970.

One of the first things that caught my eye was the front door lock. It only works from the inside, which meant someone always had to stay in the jailhouse. Even crazier? The lock and key still work perfectly after 200 years.

Life Behind Bars

Walking through the halls, it’s easy to imagine what life was like for those locked up here. And for prisoners in the early 1800s, it wasn’t just the stone walls that made life tough. In the early 1800s, prisoners were locked up in whatever clothes they arrived in. It wasn’t until the 1880s when an annex was added, that black-and-white striped uniforms became standard—but only for inmates in the new block. Those held in the original 1818 section were considered too filthy to be issued uniforms, so they remained in street clothes.

On the spookier side, our tour guide shared that he’s heard strange sawing sounds from time to time. He even showed us the likely source—these iron bars by the window have clear saw marks!

One of the most fascinating things I saw was the graffiti prisoners left behind. Some etched their names, others drew pictures, and a few even scribbled poetry. One guy kept a daily log of his meals, while another scolded himself for his “damn foolishness.” It was a stark reminder that every inmate had a story.

Notorious Inmates and Escapees

While most prisoners left behind only their names scratched into the walls, a few left behind much bigger stories, like Captain John Cook, a member of John Brown’s failed raid on the Harper’s Ferry arsenal, and “Lewis the Robber,” a highwayman and counterfeiter known as the “Robin Hood of Pennsylvania.” He and his cellmates used a rope to get the key and escaped the prison yard gate and hid in a cave—though not as breathtaking as Crystal Grottoes Caverns. But his luck ran out—he was caught during a robbery in Bellefonte, shot in the process, and later died in prison from gangrene.

One of the saddest stories was about Jacob Bittner. He was brought in for non-payment of child support and he hung himself an hour later. Why?

The most persistent escape artist I heard about was Merle Unger (at least 8 escapes over the years). As a kid, he was thrown in jail but quickly became a trustee, living without a cell block door so he could come and go as he pleased. He’d sneak out to play bingo at a nearby church or grab a drink at a Main Street bar. Whenever the sheriff spotted him, he’d march him back to the jail.

Eventually, he lost his trustee privileges and they locked him up for real, but Merle managed to escape again, this time making his way to Hagerstown—just a short drive from Boonsboro, the charming town made famous by Nora Roberts. An off-duty cop spotted him, they had a gunfight and Merle killed the officer. He was sent to the Maryland Pen, and was released a few years ago. It would be fascinating to talk to him and find out how he escaped all the time.

Tales From the Dungeon

Of course, not every prisoner was lucky enough to escape. For those who caused trouble, there was a far worse place to end up—the dungeon. If the cells upstairs were bad, this was a nightmare. The worst criminals were kept here, chained by the leg with just a mattress and a bucket. The floors were dirt until the late 1920s.

One story stuck with me—a prisoner who attacked a guard was thrown into the dungeon. He screamed every night to be let out. Turns out, rats were sneaking in and biting him. When they finally moved him upstairs, he never caused trouble again.

The dungeon wasn’t just a place of punishment—it’s also believed to have been a stop on the Underground Railroad. Behind a fake fireplace was a hidden room where freedom seekers found shelter on their journey.

Gallows in the Prison Yard

For some prisoners, the dungeon was the worst punishment they’d face. But for others, their sentence ended in the prison yard—on the gallows. Three people were hanged here. The first two were in 1879—one for murdering his wife with an axe and the other for killing a man at a dance.

The last hanging was in 1912, when William Reed was executed for shooting his ex-girlfriend, Sarah “Sadie” Mathna. After their breakup, he went to Mont Alto retrieve love letters and his Civil War discharge papers from her. When she refused, he fired warning shots (or so he claimed) to scare her—but one of them went through her heart.

More Than a Jail

Though the jail’s past is filled with hardship and grim stories, today it serves a very different purpose as the home of the Franklin County Historical Society. Part of the jail is a museum full of artifacts, including an old prescription book with medicines that casually list poisons as ingredients. Another exhibit features an American flag that Louisa Brand wrapped around herself while standing on her porch during the Burning of Chambersburg, daring Confederate soldiers to set her house on fire.

Halloween at the Chambersburg Old Jail

After my Old Jail tour, I spent the day checking out Spooky Places to Visit in Franklin County PA, and then went back to the Old Jail at night for the annual Haunted Halloween event. Each year, the haunted house at the Old Jail has a new theme, and this year’s theme was Haunted Hollywood. I should have been scared, but I couldn’t stop laughing the whole way through. For those wondering—no one touches or grabs you during the experience, so you can enjoy the fun without the fear of jump scares getting too personal!

Final Thoughts

Visiting the Old Jail was fascinating! Walking through the cells, seeing the graffiti, and hearing prison stories made history feel real. It’s worth checking out when you’re in Franklin County, Pennsylvania.

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