THE OLD JAIL

THE CASE

Barnstable’s Old Jail is believed to have been built around 1690, making it the oldest surviving wooden jail in the United States. Ordered by the colonial courts, it served as Barnstable County’s jail until 1820. The six original cells remain, complete with heavy wooden construction, iron bars, original locks, and graffiti carved by prisoners. The building was moved from Old Jail Lane to its present location on Cobb’s Hill in 1972 and is now preserved by the Barnstable Historical Society.

The jail is reportedly associated with unexplained footsteps, cold sensations, clanking or rattling sounds, and sightings of a man dressed in colonial-era clothing. One particularly famous legend concerns Goody Hallett, who was reportedly imprisoned there in 1716 and is sometimes said to haunt the jail. The Barnstable Historical Society itself acknowledges longstanding rumors of hauntings and paranormal activity, while ghost tours regularly use the jail as a central location.

Our night at the Old Jail involved an elaborate setup due mainly to the small size of the building. Our monitoring gear was run out of the back of an SUV to allow investigators to have a level of freedom to roam inside.

Some of us were able to access the jail cells located in a loft inside and spent time “incarcerated” while conducting audio monitoring. The investigation yielded no significant evidence, but equally as important was the opportunity to explore an iconic and historically significant Colonial structure.

An added treat was a trip to Ancient Yarmouth Cemetery where we viewed, among other interesting final resting places, the headstone of Mary Dolencie, who passed in 1985. Inscribed is a curse she placed upon the people of Yarmouthport for their horrible treatment of her in life.