An excerpt from the book, “Pensacola’s Finest,” available on Amazon
By Mike Simmons
In 1763, Pensacola came under British rule. The British have always been known for their orderliness. Documents exist of the British townspeople accusing the Spanish founders of “insufferable laziness” due to the “deplorable” state of the village upon the arrival of the Brits. When the British took control of West Florida, the priority was to design and create a proper town. This meant laying out streets that were equal in distance and equal distance apart. Lots were drawn up and laid out equally. The existing streets were renamed for British politicians, statesmen, and heroes, and new ones were given British names. A British surveyor, Elias Durnford, was commissioned to do the layout. The jail was assigned to the northeast corner of the fort compound on the outside of the fort itself. It began as a small wooden building. No pictures or drawings of the small lockup exist.
