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Old Macoupin County Jail

205 E. 1st St., Carlinville, IL 62626

Historic Sites

This historic jail has leftover Civil War cannonballs embedded into the stones used to build the walls.

The historic jail was in service from 1869 to 1988. This Gothic Revival stone structure was built using the "cannonball method." Stones were hollowed out and leftover Civil War cannonballs were embedded into the stones used to build the walls, making an escape by removing stones nearly impossible. The jail was built to hold 17 prisoners, but at sometimes, it was reported to house twice that number. Today, it is a popular tourist attraction, though admittance to the interior is no longer allowed due to structural issues.

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Carlinville Historic Square

Carlinville

Carlinville Historic Square located on Historic Route 66 is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Read more about Carlinville Historic Square

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