ASH STREET JAIL: Oldest running jail in the country
The Bristol County Jail & House of Correction located on Ash Street in New Bedford, Massachusetts was started in 1829, and is the oldest running jail in the United States. The Ash street jail, as it is known, has been a controversial facility since it opened. It is believed to be the site of the last pubic hanging in Massachusetts sometime in the 1890's. Two big riots broke out in the 90's (1993, 1998) and since then the facility has been modified to alleviate some of the crowded conditions that resulted in the riots. The Ash street jail currently houses mostly inmates waiting their trial, along with 18 inmates who are serving time and help with the maintenance of the facility. On any given day the number of inmates housed at the facility rises and falls relative to the day of the week. Weekends usually see the number of inmates increase. The architecture of the jail is vastly different from the clean cut rooms of modern jails and has been the subject of many lawsuits by those who claim the jail is unsafe. When asked why he keeps the 180 year old jail opened, Sheriff Tom Hodgson replied. 'a jail should be a place that people don't want to return'.
