Iowa Time Machine ⏰: On July 12, 1881, William H. Brown and Benjamin F. Haugh received a US patent for the famed Squirrel Cage Jail of Council Bluffs. A unique structure featuring three stories of ‘lazy-susan’ style cells, the jail served Pottawattamie County from 1884 to 1969 before welcoming thousands of visitors each year as a tourist attraction.
One of eighteen rotary-style jails ever built in the United States, the Pottawattamie Jailhouse (Squirrel Cage Jail) remains one of three today. The original patent explained the purpose of the rotating jail: “The object of our invention is to produce a jail in which prisoners can be controlled without the necessity of personal contact between them and the jailer.”
The tall and narrow structure, which cost $30,000 to construct, quickly gained the familiar ‘Squirrel Cage Jail’ moniker after opening in the 1880s. Generations of criminals found themselves imprisoned in the pie-shaped cells during its long active service.
The three-story cells sat on a massive metal turntable, and over the decades, wear and tear eventually caused the mechanism to stick. As modernization arrived for many of America’s jails and prisons during the 20th century, Pottawattamie County retired the facility from active duty in 1969. Visitors still often visit the property, now operated by the Historical Society of Pottawattamie County, although the turntable no longer offers a chance to see the unique Iowa jailhouse in motion. #IowaHistoryDaily #IowaHistoryCalendar #IowaOTD
Comments