You Can Take A Tour Of The Old Windsor Jail

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A view of the inmate cells (Photo by: Millar Hill)

Tickets are selling quickly for this weekend’s public tours of the old Windsor Jail in Olde Sandwich Towne.

This will be the first and last time the jail is open to the public.

Built in 1925 after a fire destroyed the Essex County Jail, the Windsor Jail is one of Ontario’s oldest and most historic correctional facilities, and after serving the community for 89 years, on August 25th, the Windsor Jail ceased operations and inmates were transferred to the new South West Detention Centre.

Tours will be offered Friday from 12:30pm to 6pm and Saturday and Sunday from 9:30am to 6pm. Tickets are $10 and must be purchased online.

All proceeds go towards the establishment of a Correctional Services Memorial.

The tours will consist of 25 people at a time, and will start every 20 minutes, with each tour lasting 35 minutes.

Photos and videos will be permitted, but you are asked not to bring large bags into the facility. There is no on-site parking or restrooms available.

In addition, due to the Windsor Jail’s age and heritage designation, a significant portion of the tour is not accessible to people who cannot use stairs. There is wheelchair access in the sally port area and the prisoner visitation room, where a virtual video tour, information posters, photos, and artifacts will be on display.

The Windsor Jail will also be collecting donations onsite for the local food bank.

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit the link here.

To see our photo tour of the jail, check out this link.