Pensacola Cultural Center History
Pensacola's rich history dates back to the 1500s, as Pensacola was the first European settlement in the new world. Over our long past, the flags of Spain, Britian, France, the Confederate States and the United States have flown over our city. The only British fort ever built in the United States was in Pensacola.
The demands of a growing population at the beginning of the 20th century increased the requirements of justice. The state legislature established the Escambia County Court of Record, and County Commissioners authorized construction of a two-part building to house the court, judge's chambers, sheriff's offices, county solicitor and the Escambia County Jail. Construction began in early 1911, and occupation came the following year.
The three-story jail held cells for men and women, as well as hospital facilities. All of the cells faced the gallows.
The forms of punishment doled out by the courts in the early 1900's gained much public attention. In one celebrated murder case, a woman had her right hand cut off before being hanged. The gallows was built on the third floor of the Court of Record building; an iron circle in the ceiling of the judge's chamber held the rope, while a steel trap door in the floor supported the prisoner until his time had come. The final hanging at the Escambia County Jail was on July 31, 1920, when Hosea Poole was executed for killing his brother in a fight over Hosea's bicycle and shoes. Some backstage workers and volunteers are convinced that Hosea makes a cameo appearance from time to time!
In 1978, the functions of the Court of Record were moved to the new M.C. Blanchard Judicial Center. The building remained empty until 1988 when it was deeded by the county to the Pensacola Little Theatre with the understanding that funding would be obtained for transforming the structure into an arts center.
The jail had been erected with an innovation that was impressive in its time: prefabricated cells were dropped into place by a crane within the building framework. When Escambia County built a new jail on Leonard Street, the old jail cells were stripped out and re-used. The void left at the removal of the cells is now occupied by our stage and theatre.
The original marble staircase connecting the first and second floor of the Court of Record Building remains intact, as does the wood paneling behind the judge's bench, located in what we call the Courtroom. The Atrium, which connects the two sides of the Center, was not enclosed and served as the prisoners' exercise yard. Most of the walls of the Atrium are the original brick.
In January 1996, the renovations were complete. Pensacola Little Theatre finally had a permanent home. The Pensacola Cultural Center is shared with other arts organizations and rented for private functions, ensuring that this beautiful historic landmark will thrum with activity for years to come.
