History
The Historical Society of Pottawattamie County obtained the jail in 1977, restored it and now operate it as a museum. The jail opened on September 11, 1885 and continued to house inmates until December 1, 1969. The main section of the jail is referred to as the cage and was built for the men. The cage had one exit on each floor. The whole unite had to be cranked around to line the inmates up with the one opening. The turning mechanism was disabled in 1960 and doorways were cut into the cells for the inmates. Women, children and the warden had separate living quarters in the jail. It is a must see.
Specialties
The Squirrel Cage Jail is the old 1885 Pottawattamie County Jail. We are open to the public Tuesday-Sunday. Tours are self guided with staff on hand to answer any questions. Personal guided tours for groups of 15 or must be scheduled at least 48 prior to your visit.