Newton County Historical Museum

Newton County Historical Museum

Located at 121 North Wood Street and built in 1888, this structure served as the sheriff’s house and county jail until the new jail was built on top of the courthouse in 1936. The two-story brick, three-bay building was built in the Second Empire style. The building has a limestone foundation and is made of five-course common bond brick. The main (W) façade was covered in stucco ca. 1920 when a two-story porch was added to the main façade. The porch has a concrete and stucco railing with square stucco columns. The second story of the porch is enclosed and has paired one-over-one sash windows. The main entrance has a ca. 1960 wood and glass door and a two-light transom. Windows are arched one-over-one rectangular wood sash with stone sills and brick relief arching. At the roofline is a bracketed wood cornice. The house has a mansard roof with asphalt shingles.

The building was designed and constructed by the Pauly Jail Building and Manufacturing Company of St. Louis at a cost of $6,000. Six jail cells were originally located in a two-story rear cell constructed of brick. The Welfare Department occupied the building from 1936 to 1958. The Newton County Historical Museum has occupied the building since 1958. 

(Bricks and Boards, Stone and Mortar: 1991 Neosho Historical Building Survey by the Neosho Historic Preservation Committee 1995)