Sheriff's Residence & Jail

Circa 1900 black and white photograph of two buildings on Johnson Street, the old Woodstock Courthouse and the Sheriff's Residence and jail in Woodstock, Illinois.

Courthouse and Sheriff's Jail 1898-1903

Often overlooked in favor of the Courthouse, the Sheriff's Residence & Jail has been a cornerstone of the County's efforts to promote law and order. From bootleggers to labor organizers, the Sheriff's Residence & Jail was a frequent stop for many suspects awaiting trial in McHenry County. 

Curious to learn more about the jail? Take a look at some of the articles below.

1887-02-03 (ws) county board concludes a new county jail and sheriff's residence should be built.jpg

February 3 1887 | Board of Supervisors Signals Interest in New Sheriff's Residence

1887-02-10 (ws) county buys donnelly property for new jail and sheriff residence.jpg

February 10 1887 | Donnelly Property Near Courthouse Purchased for Sheriff's Residence

1887-04-02 (mcd) razng donnelly building for new sheriff building.jpg

April 2 1887 | Donnelly Building Scheduled for Demolition

1887-05-19 (ws) foundation completed for sheriff's jail residence.jpg

May 19 1887 | Foundation Laid for Sheriff's Residence

1887-05-21 (mcd) there will be no strike among bricklayes and stone-masons working on new sheriff's residence-jail.jpg

May 21 1887 | Laborers Building Sheriff's Residence Say No to Strike

1887-06-02 (ws) work continues on sheriff's jail residence.jpg

June 2 1887 | Work Continues on Sheriff's Residence & Jail

1887-06-09 (ws) sheriff's jail residence progressing - superintendent beck the architect maybe.jpg

June 9 1887 | Superintendent Beck Oversees Progress of Sheriff's Residence

1887-06-11 (mcd) new county building progressing (sheriff's residence-jail) progressing.jpg

June 11 1887 | Jail Construction Begins to Take Shape

1887-09-01 (ws) sheriff's jail nearly completed - steel jail cells going in next week.jpg

September 1 1887 | Constuction Nearing Completion on Jail

1887-09-08 (ws) delay in stell cells for sheriff's jail - blamed on strikes in spring.jpg

September 8 1887 | Delayed Delivery of Steel Jail Cells Brought on by Strikes

1887-09-15 (ws) board of supervisors happy with sheriff's jail - and its on budget.jpg

September 15 1887 | Construction of Sheriff's Residence within Budget

1887-10-20 (ws) still waiting for steel work to complete sheriff's jail.jpg

October 20 1887 | County Still Awaiting Steel Jail Cells to Complete Jail

1887-11-03 (ws) sheriff residence finished - sheriff eckert moves in - tasty.jpg

November 3 1887 | Sheriff's Residence Completed

1887-11-24 (ws) contractors putting in steel cells in sheriff's jail - will be impossible for someone to escape.jpg

November 24 1887 | Jail Nearing Completion with Arrival of Steel Jail Cells

1887-12-01 (ws) beck almost done with both courthouse and sheriff's jail.jpg

December 1 1887 | Superintendent Beck Promises Swift End to Construction

1887-12-22 (ws) beck almost done with both courthouse and sheriff's jail - more details.jpg

December 22 1887 | Residence & Jail to be Completed Before Supervisors Meeting on 27th

1887-12-31 (mcd) dennis corr 'silver' first to be jailed in new sherif jail.jpg

December 31 1887 | Dennis 'Silver' Corr First to be Jailed in New Facility

1888-05-03 (ws) no prisoners since new sheriff's jail openend - so secure criminals give it the go by.jpg

May 3 1888 | County Jail Has Not Seen Prisoners in Nearly Three Months

1890-12-04 (ws) sheriff ekcert's term up - udell takes over - moves into sheriff's jail house.jpg

December 4 1890 | Sheriff Eckert to Retire; Replaced by Udell

1905-11-09 (ws) sheriff wandrack foils escape attempt by prisoners in forn brothers case - saws snuck in by book.jpg

November 9 1905 | Sheriff Wandrack Foils Prisoner Escape Attempt

1925-01-23 (ws) 14 prisoners at jail - federal prisoners claim mchenry county has a real hoest to goodness sheriff.jpg

January 23 1925 | Fourteen Prisoners Call McHenry County Jail Home

1931-12-07 (ws) sheriff moves into new home at court house.jpg

December 7 1931 | Sheriff's Office Relocated to Courthouse

1931-12-16 (ws) sheriff's wife escapes injuries in oven explosion.jpg

December 16 1931 | Sheriff Edinger's Wife Narrowly Escapes Explosion

1931-12-18 (ws) headline & article - sheriff finds saw blades in county jail - one bar sawed into.jpg

December 18 1931 | Sheriff Finds Saw Blades in County Jail

1939-03-16 (ws) boy scouts tour court house - sheriff edinger.jpg

March 16 1939 | Boy Scouts Tour Courthouse

1939-12-13 (ws) headline - sheriff edinger seeks county radio hookup.jpg

December 13 1939 | Sheriff Edinger Asks County for Radio Hookup

1941-01-15 (ws) seek county radio system for sheriff.jpg

January 15 1941 | Harvard-Based Farmers Association Donates Funds for Sheriff Radio

1941-01-28 (ws) sheriff and board members inspect radio.jpg

January 28 1941 | Sheriff Edinger Tours Radio Setups in Other Counties

1941-02-25 (ws) bill provides for sheriffs' radio hookup.jpg

February 25 1941 | IL State Government Apportions Funds for Radio

1946-11-14 (ws) police radio for sheriff office to be ready in sthort time.jpg

November 14 1946 | Sheriff Radio Being Installed

1949-07-14 (ws) county wide hookup - radio communication for sheriff's dept.jpg

July 14 1949 | County-Wide Radio Improves Response Times

1949-10-26 (ws) headline & article - sheriff foils attempted jail break.jpg

October 26 1949 | Sheriff Bau Prevents Jailbreak by Teen Inmates

1952-08-19 (ws) start work on moving office of sheriff - remove shrubbery from front of residence.jpg

August 19 1952 | Work Has Begun to Relocate Sheriff's Office

1953-04-25 (ws) sheriff office starts move into new quarters - basement of sheriff's residence.jpg

April 25 1953 | Relocation of Sheriff's Office Partially Complete

1955-09-13 (ws) tears flow in sheriff's office - tear gas canister accidentally blows up.jpg

September 13 1955 | Tear Gas Canisters Explode in Jail Causing Evacuation

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