Harrison County Jail System – Historical Overview
Harrison County owns and operates two jail facilities under the care, custody, and control of the Sheriff. The county’s modern jail history began in 1963 with the completion of a new courthouse. A 52-bed jail was constructed on the fourth floor of that courthouse and served as the county’s primary detention facility from 1963 until 1993.
In 1990, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice began experiencing severe overcrowding and became unable to accept prisoners from county jails statewide. As a result, Harrison County faced significant overcrowding pressures of its own. With no other viable option, county officials initiated plans for a larger, more modern detention facility.
This effort led to the construction of a new 96-bed jail, which opened in 1993 and became known as the Main Jail. The Main Jail was connected to the existing fourth-floor courthouse jail by elevator, allowing both to operate as a single system with a combined capacity of approximately 150 beds. The Main Jail is located at 110 South Franklin Street, Marshall, Texas 75670, positioned along the south and southwest sides of the Harrison County Courthouse and adjacent to the Sheriff’s Office. It served as the county’s only jail for nearly two decades.
By 2009, however, overcrowding again became a growing concern. Recognizing the need for expansion, the Sheriff and County Judge began evaluating options that would provide long-term capacity. These efforts culminated in the approval and construction of an additional facility: the Travis Street Annex.
Phase I of the Travis Street Annex, located at 2200 East Travis Street, Marshall, Texas 75672, was completed and opened in 2011. This facility added 200 beds, increasing the county’s total maximum capacity to 350 inmates. The Travis Street location was intentionally selected to accommodate future growth. Plans include Phase II and Phase III expansions, each projected to add another 200 beds, ultimately providing Harrison County with a potential maximum capacity of 750 inmate beds — ensuring the county’s detention needs are met well into the future.
Today, the Main Jail remains the county’s primary intake and processing facility for both male and female inmates. The Travis Street Annex operates as an overflow facility and houses only male inmates.