Volunteers restore windows in jail made famous by Dillinger escape

CROWN POINT | Dozens of windows have been painstakingly restored in the historical jail that was the scene of bank robber John Dillinger's infamous 1934 escape.

The restoration of more than 60 windows is part of an ongoing project to rehabilitate the former Lake County Jail, built in 1882 and added onto over the years.

A team of volunteers carefully removed, cleaned and repaired windows from a first-floor 1909 addition.

The job was anything but simple, said John Heidbreder, president of the Old Sheriff's House Foundation, which works to preserve and maintain the jail and attached sheriff's house.

Sashes had to removed from century-old frames for tagging and documentation of original color and finish. Hardware was identified and set aside before windows were sent on to more volunteers to be cleaned for restoration.

The frames were repaired, sanded and painted to match colors used in 1909.

Expert glass worker Garry Knesek, a volunteer with the foundation and a glazier since 1967, replaced broken panes.

"I tried to use old glass but it's hard to find anymore," Knesek said.

Knesek custom-fit the glass to the openings using panes recovered from windows discarded in demolition or remodeling projects.

The installation of the windows is an important step in weatherproofing the jail and sheriff's house, Heidbreder said. Moisture damaging the structures had been a major concern.

The old jail closed in 1974 when the county built a new, larger jail on the north side of Crown Point.

Dillinger's daring escape from the building in 1934 secured its lasting fame, including as scenery in the 2008 film "Public Enemies" starring Johnny Depp.

The first-floor cellblock that briefly held Dillinger is targeted for further restoration by Sheriff's House Foundation volunteers.

A thick steel door separates the jail from the house, where from 1882 to 1958 county sheriffs and their families resided in a cozy setting that included a parlor, sitting room, dining room, kitchen and upstairs bedrooms.

The jail and house were empty and in disrepair in 1989 when the foundation paid $14,316 in back taxes to acquire them at a county auction.

The foundation hopes to make the building accessible year-round for tours and other public use.