The Tombs

About

The Tombs was the colloquial name for the Manhattan Detention Complex, a municipal jail at 125 White Street in Lower Manhattan, New York City. It was also the nickname for three previous city-run jails in the former Five Points neighborhood of lower Manhattan, in an area now known as the Civic Center, which encompasses New York City Hall, 1 Police Plaza, the courthouses in Foley Square, and the surrounding area.

The original Tombs was officially known as the Halls of Justice, built in 1838 in an Egyptian Revival architectural style, similar in form to a mastaba. It may have been this style that caused it to be called "the Tombs," although other theories exist. Charles Dickens wrote about it in American Notes for General Circulation. The Halls of Justice were built as a replacement for the Colonial-era Bridewell Prison located in City Hall Park, built in 1735. The new structure incorporated material from the demolished Bridewell to save money.