Original Chino Jail: Chino and The Hills Secrets Exposed

 

Welcome to the City of Chino's first jail, a historic landmark that operated from 1913-1953. This concrete block has an interesting past and is said to have been mostly used as a holding cell for individuals who may have had too much to drink and needed to sleep off their inebriation. What's fascinating is that it only cost the city $558 to construct the jail back then, and in 1996, it cost a whopping $30,000 to move it to its current location. In my research, I have come across several humorous stories about its time in operation, including how friends of the jailed would pass bottles of booze to them through the barred windows. Or how they would set the mattress on fire inside the cell, knowing that the fire department would have to come and let them out. Interestingly, in the 1960s, while the jail was left to decay in an alley, the Chino PD used it as an evidence storage space. It wasn't until 1996 that the large concrete block was relocated to its current spot in the Community Building 10th St. park, behind the Boy Scouts Building.