Huron Historic Gaol

The Huron Historic Gaol became installed because the Huron County Gaol for Upper Canada's Huron District. Clearing of the land began in Goderich, Ontario in 1839 and the prison turned into built among 1839 and 1842 the use of stone from the Maitland River Valley and from Michigan. The octagonal jail turned into designed via Thomas Young, modelled after Jeremy Bentham’s Panopticon design for jail construction, not unusual in mid-19th century Britain and North America.

A brief courtroom and Council Chambers had been set up at the prison’s third floor. It changed into in this makeshift Council Chamber that the primary Huron District Council assembly turned into hung on February eight, 1842. The 0.33 ground became extensively utilized for church services and different public gatherings before right homes have been available. The constructing served the dual cause of prison and courthouse till the construction of the county courthouse become finished in 1856, within the centre of Goderich’s Market Square.

The site ceased functioning as a jail serving Huron County in 1972 and inmates had been then transferred to Walkerton and Stratford jails. It was special a National Historic Site of Canada in 1973. The prison and adjacent early 20th century duration governor's house opened to the general public as a museum on Saturday June 29, 1974. The museum is open to the general public from May to October and is owned and operated by means of the County of Huron. Admission is charged. The prison has been refurbished to its approximate state in Victorian instances.