Jail History
St. Louis County Jail in Duluth, Minnesota, has a rich history that spans over a century. From its beginnings in the late 1800s to its current modern facility, the jail has gone through numerous changes in design, management, and operations. This comprehensive text delves into the history of St. Louis County Jail, focusing on its various locations, facilities, and the principles that guide its operations.
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Historical Facilities and Events
Early St. Louis County Jails
In 1889, Oliver Traphagen designed the red brick county jail that also housed the sheriff’s living quarters, located at 614 East Third Street. The Sheriff and his family lived in the front section of the building, and the rear held cells. The Sheriff’s wife cooked meals for the prisoners. This jail was replaced in 1923 by a new county jail at 5th Avenue West and 2nd Street in Duluth, designed by the Duluth firm of Abraham Holstead and William J. Sullivan in the Classical style of gray granite with lions’ head motifs. The old jail was repurposed for various uses, including a dispensary and a rooming house, before finally being demolished in 1954.
Last Legal Hanging
The old building was also the site of the last legal hanging in the State of Minnesota in 1903. Charles E. L. Henderson was hanged in Judge Cant’s courtroom for killing his mistress Ida McCormick on the night of June 21, 1902. Capital punishment was outlawed in the state in 1911.
Transition to the Modern Facility
In response to the Minnesota Department of Corrections’ decision to close the St. Louis County Jail in downtown Duluth unless the county took steps to bring the facility into compliance with state standards and codes, the county commissioners passed a resolution in March 1992 to submit a Special Use Permit application to the City of Duluth Planning Department for the construction of a new jail on a 26-acre site south of Swan Lake Road between Haines Road and Beede Road. The proposal called for a 70,000 square-foot, 2-story jail facility with a 152-bed capacity, which would serve as a full-service county jail. After the planning and construction phases, the new St. Louis County Jail opened on Haines Road in 1995.
Historical Significance of St. Louis County Jail
The history of St. Louis County Jail reflects the evolution of correctional facilities in the United States and the changing perspectives on incarceration, rehabilitation, and inmate treatment. From the early days of the red brick jail with the sheriff’s living quarters to the present modern facility, St. Louis County Jail has come a long way in terms of design, capacity, and operations. Its dedication to Direct Supervision Management Principle and adherence to the guiding principles of safety, accountability, and human rights demonstrate the commitment of St. Louis County Jail to create a more humane and effective correctional system.
The Modern St. Louis County Jail
Location and Facilities
The modern St. Louis County Jail is situated on 26 acres between Arrowhead and Swan Lake Roads in Duluth, Minnesota. It has been in operation since 1995 and is designed to house up to 192 pretrial and sentenced inmates. The jail is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and is responsible for processing all prisoners, including booking, fingerprinting, photographing, feeding, issuing clothing and personal items, and physically monitoring the prisoners while they are in the facility. The St. Louis County Corrections Officers use an automated fingerprinting system, providing an effective way of capturing a person’s fingerprints without the use of ink.
Virginia and Hibbing Lock-ups
The jail division is also responsible for operating the Virginia and Hibbing Lock-ups, which are Class I Jails used to confine prisoners for up to 72 hours, excluding weekends and holidays. The Virginia lock-up is a 12-bed, 72-hour holding facility, while the Hibbing lock-up is an 8-bed, 72-hour holding facility. Both of these facilities are located in the respective courthouses.
Direct Supervision Management Principle
The St. Louis County Jail operates under the Direct Supervision Management Principle, whereby an officer is in the housing unit with inmates at all times, supervising the detainees. The jail is dedicated to the concept of Direct Supervision and adheres to several guiding principles that prioritize the safety of the public, staff, and inmates, staff development, training, accountability, and the preservation of basic human rights and dignity for all.