Plaque Unveiled at Historic Clearmont Jail

On Thursday, November 21, The Clearmont Historical Group unveiled a plaque telling some of the history of the Old Clearmont Jail in Branding Iron Park. Around 20 people attended the event, which was held after the Nicolarsen Buffalo Jump program on Thursday.

Cynthia Vannoy, local historian, talked about the old jail, which was built in 1922. She shared stories about it from local residents and the old newspapers.

This from The Sheridan Post, Tuesday, May 23, 1922 – New Jail Nears Its Completion – Deputy Sheriff H.R. Zingg of Clearmont notified the Sheridan County authorities yesterday that Clearmont’s new concrete jail is nearing completion and will be ready for occupancy by the first of June. The jail, which has two cells containing two bunks each and a full-length corridor, will be equipped with the beat steel doors and locks.

One humorous story was in the Sheridan Post-Enterprise on October 24, 1926

Wallace Vannoy, who was born and raised in Clearmont, and ranched there until his death in 1994, actually spent a night in the old jail in the mid-1930s with two friends when they were in high school. The three young men tried to climb the Clearmont Water Tower and were thrown in the jail overnight for breaking the law. He said that he and one of the boys spent the night singing jail songs, while the other boy sat in a corner and cried all night.

Clearmont Historical Group President Robert Prusak read the commentary that is on the plaque.

The plaque was a joint effort between the Town of Clearmont and the Clearmont Historical Group, and the stand for the plaque was made by the Clear Creek FFA.

On May 14, 1984, the Old Clearmont Jail was added to the National Register of Historic Places. Ann Arndt, former Clearmont teacher, was instrumental in making sure that the old jail was included in the Registry.

A story of the old jail appeared on Sheridanmedia on May 15, 2021