BEDFORD -- The former Bedford County Jail is now home to Firesong Handweaving Studio.
But the owner is selling the building, hoping the property will bring a new business to town.
Diane Kelly owns both the handweaving studio and Firesong Farm, a working sheep farm in Schellsburg. She uses the wool from her sheep to create one-of-a-kind scarfs and clothing.
"I'm getting older and I just can't take care of both," Kelly said as to why she's now selling the jail property.
The old jail building is made up of two parts. The front of the building is a large Victorian-era house, and the back is the jail with the cells still in place.
"It was built in 1895 and if you look around, everything is hand-done, and the sheriff actually lived here so there's even a bread oven in the basement," she said, later adding that the massive oven might be perfect to make pizzas.
Its bars held people inside its walls for an entire century.
"There's a dining room, living room, the parlor and then upstairs there are five bedrooms and a bathroom. Then on the top floor, they put one huge office up there, and that would make a beautiful suite up there," Kelly said.
With more than 8,000 square feet of space, she thinks it has potential to bring new business to the borough.
"A brewery or I can see it as a bed-and-breakfast or a nice restaurant I've had people already ask to stay here," she said.
She said the old jail is part of the town's history and the history of its people.
"That's part of what makes Bedford special because here is the historic district, and there's been a lot of care to keep things up," she said.
That's why she hopes that whoever buys the property honors that.
"All I care about is that I hope somebody who gets it cares about the building and the history of the building it's not a registered building but it is in the historic district and it's a gorgeous building," Kelly said.
The property's currently listed at $424,900, and the real estate agent, Betty Everly of Howard Hanna, can be reached at 814 623-8622.
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