Madera’s jail couldn’t hold ’em

For The Madera Tribune

This historic courthouse was torn down and replaced with a modern facility in 1953. Before that year was out, there had been three major breakouts at Madera’s new jail.

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In 1898, Madera did away with its old, wooden jail and replaced it with a brick and granite building. For years this stately structure, with its imposing tower, stood on 6th Street in all of its aesthetic glory. Then in 1937, a granite addition was added to the rear of the jail, and that’s how things remained until officials decided in 1953, that they needed more room and security.

To accomplish this they ordered the destruction of the turreted portion of the jail and its replacement with something more spacious and modern. Thus on Jan. 30, 1953, the brick walls and familiar tower came tumbling down, and in its place, the county built an addition to the granite portion of the jail.

Just as one would expect, there were howls of protest over the demolition of this half-century old Madera landmark. Not only did it have a history; it cast a sense of elegance from its home beside Courthouse Park.