ACCOMAC, Va. – One of the nation's few remaining colonial-era debtors' prisons will reopen to the public on Independence Day following a full restoration.
The Town of Accomac will celebrate the grand reopening of the historic Debtors' Prison on Saturday, July 4, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 11 a.m. The restoration was completed through a partnership between Accomack County and the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Accomack County Supervisor Robert Crockett, Virginia Del. Rob Bloxom and Accomack historian Dennis Custis are scheduled to participate in the ceremony.
Following the ribbon cutting, the building will be open for self-guided tours from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visitors will receive an updated Debtors' Prison brochure, and children must be accompanied by an adult.
Built in 1778, the Accomac Debtors' Prison is one of the few surviving structures of its kind in the United States. The building once housed people who were jailed because they could not pay their debts and remains a rare example of colonial-era civic architecture on Virginia's Eastern Shore.
The Debtors' Prison is located next to the historic Accomack County Courthouse in Accomac. An information tent on the Debtors' Green will serve as the welcome area for visitors.
Town officials also announced the site will reopen in September for a fall tour season featuring volunteer guides and a curated historical collection. Additional details are expected to be released later this summer.
