COLEMAN, Fla. — Tucked away on a busy corner in Coleman, Florida, stands a piece of forgotten history that many new locals in our area never knew existed, until now. An old jailhouse built in 1897 that’s managed to endure the test of time.

(Located in Coleman, this old structure used to be the town’s jail. Photo Credit – The Olde Jail Shoppe.)

The Coleman Jail, not to be confused with Federal Correctional Institution Coleman (FCI Coleman) which is the nations largest Federal Prison, served the rural Sumter County town for decades, hasn’t budged from the spot where it was originally constructed more than 125 years ago. Now, the unassuming structure has a new  tenant, although not a prisoner. The new business Knotty Traditions, a home and garden shop recently purchased the property.

Though the building is now filled with handcrafted décor and garden goods, its original bones remain largely intact. Perhaps the most striking feature? A railroad track lining the ceiling that once extended down through the walls and under the floor — a security measure that made breaking out virtually impossible.

Note the overhead the railroad tracks lining the ceiling that once extended down through the walls and under the floor. This was a security measure that made breaking out virtually impossible. You can also see the old bar windows with glass now but the bars remain the same.)

Despite its formidable design, the jail rarely housed dangerous criminals. The only violent prisoner on record was a bank robber in the late 1920s who attempted to flee after holding up the Coleman Bank. He ran out of gas between Coleman and Wildwood and was swiftly apprehended. Most of the jail’s residents were local troublemakers or known as “good old boys” locked up overnight for minor infractions like rumrunning or gambling.

The jail was run for many years by Town Marshal Rodger Graham, who often allowed his detainees to “sleep it off” in the cells. Graham also earned a reputation for catching rumrunners/gambling, a common issue during Prohibition-era Florida from 1919-1933. Moonshining gained more prominance in the 40s and 50s but before then, it was often rum, whiskey, brandy, wine and other forms of alcohol or gambling that resulted in the “good ole boys” being hauled in.

(The jail was small and did not have a toilet installed making conditions rather harsh for anyone inside.)

In the late 1940s and early 1950s, a man named Bobby, whose father owned a store in Coleman, took on the role of feeding the inmates. Arriving each morning at 5 a.m., Bobby would respond to the prisoners’ familiar cry: “Bobby, bring us some cheese and soda water!” With no central air and no toilet, the jail could be a sweltering and unpleasant place, especially during Florida’s brutal summers. The least Bobby could do was help ease their painful stay in the jailhouse.

Bobby loved his town and took pride in serving that old corner of Coleman for decades. There is even a sign in the jail on the front door that tells of this story.

(The latest business to call the old jail home is Knotty Traditions a home and garden store which now occupies the space.)

Eventually, the jail ceased operations and shifted through various uses from storage shed to small business space. Today, as Knotty Traditions breathes new life into the building, it stands as a rare and charming relic of small-town Florida history of which Coleman has a lot of it if you look in the right places.

Visitors are encouraged to stop by, shop for whimsical garden trinkets, and take a moment to step inside an old Florida Jailhouse from a bygone era.