Essex County Jail

Essex County Jail is a jail located in the University Heights section of Newark, Essex County, New Jersey, United States, and was added to the National Register of Historic Places on September 3, 1991. The jail was abandoned in 1970 when a new county jail was built. The jail is Essex County's oldest public building. The grounds are located adjacent to the Norfolk Street station of the Newark Light Rail.HistoryThe original building was designed by architect John Haviland and was built in 1837 at the corner of Newark and New Streets. John Haviland was an established prison architect at the time who was most notable for Eastern State Penitentiary. The Morris Canal ran adjacent to the jail and formed the back of the property line. When the building was first built it was known as the Newark Street Jail. The jail was built to replace an earlier structure that was located at the corner of Broad and Walnut Streets and is the present site of the Grace Episcopal Church. The jail consisted of a two story square building built of brick and local brownstone in the Greek Revival style. In 1890, the original building was expanded with multiple additions increasing the number of prison cells up to 300. The building was also updated to include running water and toilet facilities in each cell. The building served as Essex County's main jail until 1970 when a new jail was built. In 1991, scenes for the film Malcolm X were shot at the jail.