Slammer Time: $274K Pennsylvania Mansion Comes With Its Own Jail

by Tiffani Sherman

A brick mansion on prime property in Bedford, PA, has plenty of historical charm—plus a place to put unruly guests.

An attached, two-story building comes with, yes, 18 jail cells.

“This is the first jail I’ve ever had listed,” says Gary Green, with Century 21 All Service. “The mansion is where the warden lived.”

The property with a brick house and a big house is listed for $274,900.

Creepy and cool

The 3,500-square-foot mansion dates back to 1895, and the jail building is still set up with barred cells. Perhaps someone with a taste for history might appreciate it?

“It’s kind of creepy, to be honest—but really, really cool,” Green says. “It’s in the exact state [it was left in], with all of the drawings from when the prisoners were in there.”

Many of the barred cells still have their metal beds, and a plaque on the building specifies that the jail cost $25,000 to build.

Published reports say the jail operated for more than 100 years. According to Realtor.com®, the county sold it in 2008, when the current owner bought it for $84,000 and renovated it.

Some of the cells on the second floor were removed to open up the floor plan, but many cells remain.

Despite its strange past, the jail building could have a very different future.

“I have people looking at it for opening it up and putting shops and even apartments, or living in the front and utilizing the back as some kind of commercial venture,” Green says.

The mansion has five bedrooms and one full bathroom.

“It’s just gorgeous architecture, with the turrets and seven fireplaces—one in every bedroom and in the living room and dining room,” he says. “It just needs some tender, loving care.”

The house needs a new roof and various other repairs. The roof on the jail building is actually newer. But the bulk of the necessary work awaits in the jail’s interior.

“You could spend a ton of money,” Green says. “It all depends how extravagant you want to get with this place. It’s such valuable real estate in square footage.”

Some people have even mentioned turning it into a vacation rental.

“I don’t know if people want to sleep in a jail cell,” Green admits with a laugh, adding that the place has lots of potential. “Just let your imagination go wild.”