NICHOLAS COUNTY, Ky. (LEX NEWS) — One of the notable stops in Carlisle, built in 1821, this is the Jailer's Home. This home at 102 West Main is a passion project for the co-chair of Carlisle-Nicholas County Tourism.
"It's sorta like my home," Gladys Shrout said. "I spend so many hours here, but I spend 'em because I love it and I wanted to see something happen her."
Her vision to renovate the home started about 40 years ago.
"It was an eyesore, and it was competition to me, and I love competition," Shrout noted.
Along with her fellow co-chair for county tourism, Shrout helped raise money to restore the museum.
"We did not know at that point we were going to be having lunches here once a month," Shrout added.
The museum hosts those luncheons twice at Christmas, as well. It's a full course meal for 25 dollars.
"That's how we make some of our money to keep the building up," Shrout said.
The Jailer's Home, built by the Smedley Family, was purchased by the fiscal court in 1857 and that's when a jail was added. Some referred to it as the dungeon or the Black Hole of Calcutta. There's graffiti on the walls and is what is known as the Bullpen.
There were 17 prisoners in that area until it was condemned. The jail finally closed in 1982. This is what reaction often relayed to Shrout by most visitors to the Jailer's Home today.
"We're so happy we came, it's so unique and they say the food is good and we also come for the ambiance because the ambiance changes every month," Shrout said.
