{{Use American English|date=July 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}} {{Infobox NRHP | name = Beauregard Parish Jail | image = BeauregardCourthouse.jpg | caption = | location = 201 West 1st Street, [[DeRidder, Louisiana]] | coordinates = {{coord|30.84623|-93.28772|format=dms|display=inline,title,source:ProprioMeOW}} | locmapin = Louisiana#USA | built = 1914 | architect = Stevens and Nelson | architecture = Beaux-Arts | added = September 22, 1983 | area = {{convert|1|acre}} | refnum = 83000490<ref name="nris">{{NRISref|version=2013a}}</ref> }}
The '''Beauregard Parish Courthouse''' is located in [[DeRidder, Louisiana|DeRidder]], [[Louisiana]], the location of the parish seat. The courthouse was built at the same time as the [[Beauregard Parish Jail]], by the same people, and completed around the same time in 1915, as directed by the [[Beauregard Parish Police Jury]].<ref name=nrhpdoc>{{cite web|url={{NRHP url|id=83000490}}|title=National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination Form: Beauregard Parish Courthouse|author=National Register Staff|date=July 1983|publisher=National Park Service|accessdate=March 23, 2018}} With {{NRHP url|id=83000490|title=three photos from 1983|photos=y}}.</ref>
The courthouse was added to the [[National Register of Historic Places]] on 22 September 1983.<ref name="nris"/>
==History== The [[Hudson River Lumber Company]] donated a tract of land to the City of DeRidder. Property that adjoined this tract was owned by the First Baptist Church. The newly formed Beauregard Parish Police Jury, carved out of the old [[Calcasieu Parish|Imperial Calcasieu Parish]],<ref>Founded January 1, 1913</ref> purchased the property and a building from the church. Stevens-Nelson of New Orleans was chosen to design a courthouse and jail. Falls City Construction Company was awarded the contract in September 1913. Both buildings were completed in 1915 at a cost of $168,000.<ref>[[Beauregard Parish Jail]]. Same as the history from Beauregard Parish Jail.</ref>
==Tunnel== There is a lighted tunnel leading to the jail. It was incorporated into the design to facilitate the transfer of accused or prisoners to and from the jail to stand trial while maintaining safety. The tunnel is no longer in use.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fox8live.com/story/27169234/heart-of-louisiana-the-hanging-jail/|last= McNamara|first= Dave|title=Heart of Louisiana: The Hanging Jail|author=|date=October 30, 2014|publisher=National Park Service|accessdate=May 23, 2024}}</ref>
The jail has now been renovated to some degree and is open for tours to the public during weekdays and there are special lantern tours at night on occasion, as well as a haunted house around Halloween each year. The tunnel, however, has been completely blocked off at some point between the jail and the courthouse. The small portion visible from the jail side usually has standing water inside it, sometimes quite a lot of water. Thus, it is no longer lighted and/or usable by anyone.
==Notoriety== A trial that ended in two hangings in the Beauregard Parish Jail took place at the courthouse. This gave rise to the name "Hanging Jail" but any notoriety concerning the courthouse was lost after the hanging on March 9, 1928.
==Current== The 101 year courthouse was in need of updating, that included expansion for a third courtroom, handicap access, elevator upgrades (ADA accessible), sewer upgrades and a facelift to include the courtyard and sidewalks. A new sprinkler and fire alarm system is also included. Corne Lemaire Group is the architectural firm and the bid from Pat Williams Construction was accepted.<ref>[http://www.fox5vegas.com/story/28992914/beauregard-parish-courthouse-groundbreaking-ceremony Fox 5, KVVU-TV Las Vegas, NV] - "Posted: May 06, 2015", Retrieved 2016-10-02</ref>
The policy jury had previously purchased a large former First Baptist Church compound, located beside and behind the jail, and the main building has been renovated to be temporarily used.<ref>[http://www.kltv.com/story/25765378/renovation-begins-for-temporary-beauregard-parish-courthouse KLTV 7] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161003060352/http://www.kltv.com/story/25765378/renovation-begins-for-temporary-beauregard-parish-courthouse |date=2016-10-03 }}- Retrieved 2016-10-02</ref>
==See also== {{commonscat|Beauregard Parish Courthouse}} *[[National Register of Historic Places listings in Beauregard Parish, Louisiana]]
==References== {{Reflist}}
==Further reading== [https://www.beauregardclerk.org/historical-beauregard Historical Sketch]
==External links== *[http://www.cityofderidder.org CityOfDeRidder.org] *[https://web.archive.org/web/20041213161531/http://www.beau.lib.la.us/history/BPHistry/ Beauregard Parish History] *[https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=229089 Beauregard Parish Gothic Jail]
{{National Register of Historic Places in Louisiana}} {{Portal bar|National Register of Historic Places|United States}} {{Beauregard Parish, Louisiana}}
[[Category:Government buildings completed in 1915]] [[Category:Buildings and structures in Beauregard Parish, Louisiana]] [[Category:Parish courthouses in Louisiana]] [[Category:Courthouses on the National Register of Historic Places in Louisiana]] [[Category:Clock towers in Louisiana]] [[Category:National Register of Historic Places in Beauregard Parish, Louisiana]] [[Category:1915 establishments in Louisiana]]