Porter County Jail and Sheriff's House

Porter County Jail and Sheriff’s House are located southeast of the County Courthouse in Valparaiso, Indiana. Overtime, the needs of the county grew and these original structures were replaced by a new jail in 1974, just south of the original jail on Franklin Street. By 2000, the county again needed more space for the jail and for the Sheriff’s Department. A new facility was built and opened in 2004 south of Valparaiso on S.R. 49 just south of the intersection with U.S. 30.The historic Porter County Jail is the home of the Historical Society of Porter County. It is located at 153 South Franklin, Valparaiso, Indiana on the southeast corner across from the Courthouse Square. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. The jail serves as the Porter County Museum of History with artifacts and displays from around the county. Included is a mastodon tusk, which was found locally.Sheriff's ResidenceThe sheriff’s residence was built in 1860. Originally, a log stockade was directly behind the house and served as the holding cell for prisoners. The structure is Italianate in design. It is located on East Indiana Ave, which was Mechanic Street when the house was built. The building is accessible through the Historical Society of Porter County’s Museum located in the Historic County Jail on Franklin Street. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. The residence is decorated to the early 1900s.Joliet Stone is used for the voussoirs and keystone. The Joliet Stone has been rusticated at third points along each side of a window or door. Rusticated stone is also use in the quoins and foundation walls. The brackets and eave moldings are of pressed tin. The roof is a shallow hipped style. The four large chimneys were removed when steam heating was installed. The original heating was by stoves on the upper floors and small arched white marble fireplaces on first floor.