The Old Jail Museum, a well-known landmark in the heart of Leonardtown and one of the four museums and historic sites overseen by the St. Mary’s County Government’s Museum Division, will continue to be open to the public for extended hours on Leonardtown First Fridays in addition to regular daily visitation hours.
Interested visitors are encouraged to come and take a tour of this unique and fascinating historic site. The museum is open for regular hours daily, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is FREE for all ages. The museum will also be open for special hours during Leonardtown First Fridays from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., on the first Friday of each month. The only days during the year that the museum is closed is Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve & Christmas Day.
Staff will be on-hand to showcase the Old Jail and its interesting story. A special exhibit regarding Benjamin Hance, a young African American man who was held at the Old Jail in 1887 and later killed by a local mob, will be on display. Hance is the only documented lynching victim recorded in St. Mary’s County.
The Old Jail Museum is one of three sites in St. Mary’s County on the National Park’s Service’s Underground Railroad Network to Freedom, and features stories and exhibits related to that era.
The location also serves as the official Leonardtown Visitor Center, where visitors to town can find information about things to do in Leonardtown, St. Mary’s County, and the Southern Maryland region.
The Old Jail Museum is located at 41625 Court House Drive, Leonardtown, MD 20650, right on the grounds of the Courthouse in downtown Leonardtown, a short walk from the Square. For more information about the Old Jail Museum, special hours, contact information, updates and much more, please visit Facebook.com/TheOldJailMuseum.
About the St. Mary’s County Museum Division
The St. Mary’s County Museum Division was established by the Commissioners of St. Mary’s County to collect, preserve, research, and interpret the historic sites and artifacts which illustrate the natural and cultural histories of St. Mary’s County and the Potomac River. These sites include St. Clement’s Island Museum, Piney Point Lighthouse Museum, the Old Jail Museum, and the Drayden African American Schoolhouse. With this as its charter, the Museum Division serves as a resource, liaison and community advocate for all St. Mary’s County public and private cultural assets. For more information, please visit: museums.stmarysmd.com.
