ACOMAC, VA — Debtor's Prison in the town of Accomac will undergo a restoration with a grant awarded from the Virginia 250 Preservation Fund. Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin announced 35 projects aimed at investing and enhancing historic sites throughout the state.
Christopher Newman, a member of Drummondtowne Preservation, expressed his excitement over the inclusion of the prison in Governor Glenn Youngkin's recent grant announcement.
“It has to be restored," Newman said. "We want to save this part of Virginia’s history and American history, and we’re incredibly grateful for the grant that’s going to help us do that."
Originally built as the town jailer's residence some time between 1782 and 1784, the building was converted into a debtor's prison more than four decades later.
Debtors and minor offenders were incarcerated in this building until 1840. The prison has remained a historic landmark in Accomac, intermittently opening for educational purposes and celebratory events.
The exterior of the Debtor's Prison shows signs of age, with cracked bricks and chipped window panes.
The $350,000 grant will address these cosmetic issues and modernization of the interior, including the electrical and security systems, according to the Virginia Department of Historic Resources.
Newman said preserving the architectural integrity historic buildings is integral to the town's identity.
“We’re an old-fashioned Eastern Shore town. "We don’t have a whole lot of excitement here," Newman said. "The best thing here is our history, it’s our footprint and it’s our fingerprint on the past."
Final restoration plans have not been released at this time, but Newman is hopeful that the project will soon be underway.
