Hill County Cell Block Museum

05/30/2026

Love our visitors to the Hill County Cell Block museum! Fred Finch and son, Russell pose with plaque with his father, brother and nephews names. The uniform belongs to his brother Neal, he was able to id 20thAir force insignia!

05/23/2026

05/23/2026

Beautiful morning to you! What a great day to explore Hillsboro and come visit the Hill Co Cell Block Museum which will be open from 10AM until 4PM.

05/08/2026

In thIs this video, Mary Helen Dodson shares the story of her great-grandfather, Wesley Clark Dodson, one of Texas’ most notable architects. Dodson designed fifteen Texas courthouses, including the Hill County Courthouse, as well as the historic Hill County Cell Block Museum building.

Mary Helen visited Hillsboro in 2026 and was honored by Judge Justin Lewis in the Hill County courtroom on Tuesday, February 17th, with a proclamation declaring the day Wesley Clark Dodson Day. The honor recognized Dodson’s lasting legacy as a prominent Texas architect whose work helped shape civic architecture across the state.

This video offers a meaningful look at his architectural legacy in Hill County, and also other communities across Texas.

Mary Helen Dodson introduces her forthcoming book, The Architecture of Wesley Clark Dodson. Wesley Clark Dodson (1829–1914) was a leading Texas architect dur...

04/18/2026

The rain has stopped and the sun is shining. The museum is open for visitors today!

04/10/2026

The Hill County Cell Block Museum will open Saturday, April 11th 2026 from 10 am to 4 pm, and maintain Saturday open hours through the end of October. We invite you to stop by and experience our exhibits, and the stunning architecture and grounds from our location in downtown Hillsboro, Texas at 120 North Waco Street; just steps from the Hill County Courthouse.

Stop by and say hello. We love the stories, memories, history and heritage of our county, and you will too.

03/27/2026

The Hill County Cell Block Museum will reopen on Saturdays 10 am to 4 pm starting in Spring 2026. We will annouce the official opening day soon, and hope you will plan to stop by for a visit.

Constructed in 1893 on the corner of Waco and Paschal Streets, this architectural gem served as the Hill County Sheriff’s Quarters and Jail until being converted to a Museum in the mid 1980’s. Both the “Cell Block” museum building and County Courthouse – built in 1890 - were designed by W. C. Dodson (1828 – 1914), an architect responsible for many of Texas’ most notable buildings.

The building looks like a two-story home with a long porch and gothic wrought iron fence – traditional for the time. The tall windows with steel bars and iron shutters are evidence this served as “home” to many of Hill County’s most notorious criminals – including Raymond Hamilton, a friend of Clyde Barrow of “Bonnie and Clyde” fame and member of the Barrow Gang in the 1930s. Hamilton was convicted of the murder of John Bucher of Hillsboro, though another criminal confessed to the crime after Hamilton’s ex*****on.

Elvis – the “King of Rock-and-Roll” – also spent time in Hillsboro while stationed at Fort Hood Army Post, as a friend to the owners of Andrews Café. It is rumored he spent a night in the county jail for drunken behavior. Unfortunately the sheriff’s records, which contained almost a century of documentation, have mysteriously disappeared.

The front entrance features a traditional foyer with polished wooden staircase leading upstairs to the Sheriff’s quarters, which now houses the museum’s documentation room and lifestyles exhibits. The kitchen on the main level is much like it was when the Sheriff’s wife served meals to prisoners thru a slot in the kitchen wall.

Many of the jail cells have been removed to accommodate the exhibits, but several still remain – including the cell known as “Solitary” and the cell of the jail’s final inmate. Graffiti immortalizing him still remains: “The Last Man Here - Joe Kelly 12.31.82.”

The museum building was entered into the National Register of Historic Places and received its Texas Historic Landmark designation in 1981, while still serving as a jail. The museum today is managed by a non-profit organization and volunteer board, and tells the story Hill County’s colorful and interesting history.

02/17/2026

Today is the day. Hope to see you at one of these events

01/24/2026

10/28/2025

Come join us October 31st at 5:30 PM for our Trunk or Treat event — we’ll be out there until we run out of candy!

While you’re there, you can also sign up in person for our Shop with a Hero event!
Please note: in-person sign-ups only —Over 50 kids have already entered!

Don’t miss out on a night of fun, candy, and community!