History of the former County Jail & Sheriff's Home

The former Tipton County Jail and Sheriff’s Home, located at the corner of West and Madison streets, was constructed in 1894-95. The architect of record was Adolph Scherrer, who also designed the Indiana State Capitol and the Tipton County Courthouse, and the builder was Pearce & Morgan of Indianapolis. Tipton County residents were proud of their attractive, new facility because, as they said, the building did not present the “grim and fortified look of the ordinary bastile.” Built for a cost of $40,000, the structure was pronounced “One of the best in the state” in 1895 by the Indiana Board of State Charities. The county jail and sheriff’s home was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1984.

The facility is the county’s fourth jail. The first, which was built of logs in 1845, burned a few years later. It was replaced by another log structure, which was used until 1866. In 1867, a larger facility was built of brick and incorporated a residence for the sheriff’s family. It was located on East Street, about four blocks south of the courthouse. By the early 1890s, that building was declared inadequate, and the Madison Street facility was built. The last Sheriff to live in the residence was 2006.

The facility at 121 W. Madison Street was closed as a correctional facility in 2020. It was replaced by Tipton County's fifth jail located at 2300 West State Road 28. The facility, being state of the art, houses 98 beds along with the Sheriff's Administration and Patrol.

Listing on National Register of Historic Places

National Register of Historic Places Inventory - Nomination Form