Like any other community, the need for lawmen and lockups was recognized early in our town’s history so
Greenville’s very first government building was the city lock-up built in 1869. It was a small building on the west side of Lafayette just south of Washington Street. When the village was chartered as the City of Greenville in March, 1871, the new city council ordered a new fire house to be built, so the jail was moved south a bit and a Victorian fire station was built to the north of the lock-up in 1872.

Our jail is a “mock lockup” for only criminals and lawmen, so you can’t enter. However, items a lawman might have used are displayed and described in the frame below the window and on the doorframe. Handcuffs, nightstick, padlocks, keys and weapons were used by men wearing the badge of a lawman. Local Greenville Sheriffs served for many years and were esteemed by most of the citizenry. You can read the note on the door that explains why the Sheriff isn’t here to greet you.

Be sure and peek through the bars at the right to see if you recognize the “Most Wanted” person!