The Old Gaol, York Maine.

The present Goal that stands in the village of York was built in 1719 it replaced the building previously used as a jail in York that was built in 1656. The building had to be enlarged due to the massive influx of people into the territory. In 1790’s a debtors cell was added on to the building giving the building its modern shape. Not only did this building house the prisoners but also the goalkeeper and his family. In the beginning there were only two cells but updates added more cells and better conditions for prisoners. As you walk around the premise looking at the old wooden red structure you come to the side near the road and you see where the stocks used to stand. Up to 1760 the Goal was used as the prison for the entire territory of Maine when it began serving as the county jail for York. It then began to serve as a school, boarding house, and a warehouse until it was abandoned in 1895.

On July 1^st 1900 the Old Goal officially became a “museum of colonial relics”. As you walk through you can see how the building operated during the later years. At the back of the building are three rooms used to show pictorial proof of the building through the ages. The Gaolers quarters have been restored to reflect the Gaoler William Emerson and his family in 1789.

It is interesting walking around the Gaol. You start at the side of the building walking around. You see the stocks and the kids miming being stuck in them and dads taking pictures. You hear the noise of the cars passing buy. However as you enter the gaol its like that all disappears (well you still have the kids and dads) but they have restored the inner cells and rooms of the building to accurately show what the jail was like back in 1789. They succeeded the as you walk around you get the sense of how the jail looked back when it was used as a jail.

The Old Gaol is located on 207 York Street, York, ME. located near the First Parish Church of York and the York Cemetery.