This unassuming red brick jail served St. Helena Parish until the current courthouse was completed in 1937 as part of the Works Progress Administration (WPA) during the Great Depression. Efforts to save the building go back at least to the early 1970s, when street fairs were held to raise funds for its rehabilitation. The St. Helena Historical Association operated a museum & meeting place in the building for a number of years. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places for its architectural merit in 1980 as a rare example of 19th century jail. The location of former cells is evident on the cement floor. Today, the building is used for storage & is in need of repairs so it may return to an active role in the community of Greensburg.