A piece of Honesdale history opens for the summer

HONESDALE, PA — The Old Stone Jail will be unlocked from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon on the first Saturday of each month from June through October, courtesy of the Wayne County Historical Society. Built in 1859, this squat stone edifice housed Wayne County’s miscreants until 1935. Constructed almost entirely of rough stone, its damp, gloomy interior has been most often compared to a dungeon. The jail is located between the Wayne County Court House and 10th Street, and the first Saturday open house is scheduled for June 2.

“Sheriff” Dick Kreitner and his deputies will be on hand to usher visitors into the nine-by-twelve-foot cells as he relates the history of the jail and some of its more notorious occupants. He will recount the stories of the numerous jailbreaks, the hangings and even the birth of a baby girl within its somber walls. During the early history of the jail men, women and even children endured the accommodations.

Admission is free (donations welcome). Visitor access to the building is possible through the cooperation of the Wayne County Commissioners. Souvenir T-shirts, pamphlets of the history of the jail and an account of the five hangings that took place in Wayne County are offered for sale.

For more information visit waynehistorypa.org or call 570/253-3240.