The 1910 Hidalgo County Jail
historic place
The 1910 Hidalgo County Jail, located in Edinburg, Texas, was erected between 1909 and 1910. It was one of the first buildings constructed after the county seat moved from Old Hidalgo in 1908. Designed in the Spanish Mission Revival style, the building features a red tile roof and white walls. This structure served as the Hidalgo County Jail until 1922, when a new jail was built. Following its use as a jail, it transitioned into a community center, serving civic groups until 1931. From 1931 to 1966, the building functioned as Edinburg's City Hall, and also housed the fire department and, by the 1950s, the police department. In 1966, the building was designated a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark. Today, the 1910 Hidalgo County Jail is a cornerstone of the Museum of South Texas History, which opened in the building in 1970. Its tower contains a hanging room, which was used only once for an execution in 1913. The jail was also listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2020. This site offers a direct link to the early administrative and judicial history of Hidalgo County.