The Nipissing District North Bay Jail has been deemed a historical site.

The current structure is 88 years old and is most famous for an escape that took place in the mid 70’s.

Donald Kelly who had killed two people overpowered a jail guard and escaped and what followed was a month long man hurt before he was apprehended.

The chair of the Municipal Heritage Committee Peter Handley says stories like that don’t happen in North Bay but this one did.

“We don’t get a jail break. We don’t get a guy running out on the highway stopping a car, speeding off and then taking people hostage. And then running off into the bush and shooting a police dog,” he says.

Handley says at the time the jail was all alone and was surrounded by bush unlike today.

“This wasn’t built up the way it is now. The city came out to the jail and the jail was outside the city away from the residents. Now it isn’t as it’s in a humming area,” Handley says.

It’s also now a provincial jail and not a municipal one.

Committee member Robin Gendron says there were hangings in the jail in the capital punishment days.

“The last execution was in the mid 1950’s. I believe the gallows are still there,” he says.

Filed under: North Bay Jail, Peter Handley