Independence 1859 jail undergoing preservation efforts, new artifacts found

KSHB 41 reporter Claire Bradshaw covers portions of eastern Jackson County, including areas like Blue Springs and Independence. If you have a story idea to share, send an email to Claire at claire.bradshaw@kshb.com .

The historic 1859 Jail Museum in Independence is undergoing conservation renovations to ensure its history is around for years to come.

A preservation company is repairing the foundation around the northwest corner of the building, under the Marshall’s office. The Jackson County Historical Society said this is a six-month process that will cost $300,000. It is funded through grants and donations.

“This house, it puts a picture into everyday life. And JCHS believes very strongly in preserving this for future generations and preserving it for people today,” said Kaija Laney, visitor center coordinator. “If we have extra money, we're working on plastering the walls, fixing the windows, getting new doors. A lot of things that the jail needs to continue being an operation.”

The jail is open to visitors during the repairs, and visitors will soon be able to see new additions to the museum.

While digging out around the foundation, crews found various artifacts that predate the 1860s. With the help of the crew, JCHS staff and an archaeologist, they sifted through the dirt to find broken dishware, tea cups, wine bottles, and butchered pig bones. When crews originally found the bones first, they called the police just in case.

“It gives us an idea of what was going on here at that time. We don't have a lot of you know, a lot of ways to peek into that era. And so this is a nice way to just see what everyday folks were doing and you know, what was important in their lives and what wasn't, in some ways,” said Jason Wade, JCHS board member and museum collection volunteer.

Wade said he has spent almost 20 hours cataloging and trying to find out more about the fragmented pieces, but no luck so far.

Wade said they believe before the jail was built, there was a dump pit that was backfilled. One man’s trash is the JCHS’s treasure.