Designed by architect Robert Mills and built in 1823, this Palladian-style granite jail is one of the oldest surviving jails in South Carolina and a documented paranormal investigation site.
213 W Main St, Union, SC 29379
Research updated June 2026
Age
All Ages
Cost
Free
Exterior viewable from street; interior access depends on current management
Access
Limited Access
Historic stone structure; exterior accessible from sidewalk
Equipment
Photos OK
Est. 1823 · Built in 1823; one of the oldest surviving jails in South Carolina · Attributed to architect Robert Mills (also designed the Washington Monument) · Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, 1974 · Two-story Palladian design in granite ashlar · Active detention facility through the Civil War era
The Union County Jail was constructed in 1823, making it one of the oldest surviving jail structures in South Carolina. It is attributed to Robert Mills, the architect who later designed the Washington Monument and served as the first federal government architect. The building's Palladian design in granite ashlar was unusual for an institutional structure of this type and size, reflecting the ambitions of Union County's early civic leadership.
The jail was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974, recognized for its architectural significance and its role as one of the state's intact examples of early nineteenth-century correctional architecture. It served as an active detention facility through the Civil War era, when it held prisoners in circumstances that drew little documentation.
The Ghost Guild, a paranormal investigation group, conducted three documented investigations at the site between 2024 and 2025, drawn by the jail's age and its history as a detention facility predating modern incarceration standards. The investigations are documented on The Ghost Guild's website.
Sources
The Old Union County Jail's paranormal interest rests on its age and history more than on dramatic individual accounts. As one of the oldest continuously identified jail structures in South Carolina — built two centuries ago and used through the Civil War period — it represents the kind of long-occupied institutional space that draws paranormal investigators.
The Ghost Guild, a South Carolina-based paranormal investigation team, documented three separate investigations at the site between 2024 and 2025. The group's website includes their findings from each visit. The investigations were prompted by the jail's documented age, its Civil War-era use, and the general pattern of long-term incarceration sites generating paranormal reports.
The structure's granite walls and intact Palladian architecture make it one of the more visually striking investigation sites in the upstate region, and its NRHP listing has brought additional public attention to its history.
The 1823 granite ashlar jail stands on Main Street in Union. The two-story Palladian-style structure attributed to Robert Mills — who also designed the Washington Monument — is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and can be viewed from the street.
Every HauntBound history is researched from documented sources. We clearly separate verified historical fact from paranormal folklore.
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