The original building was designed by architect John Haviland and was built in 1837 at the corner of Newark and New Streets. The jail consisted of a two story square building built of brick and local brownstone. In 1890, the original building was expanded with multiple additions increasing the number of prison cells up to 300. The building was also updated to include running water and toilet facilities in each cell. The building served as Essex County's main jail until 1970 when a new jail was built. The buildings were closed in 1970 and haven’t been used since 1989, when the county’s Bureau of Narcotics moved out after engineers deemed the facility unsafe. In 1991, scenes for the film Malcolm X were shot at the jail. In 2001, a fire caused severe damage,collapsing walls and has been abandoned ever since.
