Lake County Sheriff's House and Jail was built in 1882 in the Second Empire style. The house served as the residence for the Lake County Sheriff, and the jail measured 50 by 120 feet with six cells. The building was enlarged in 1926, and the residence was converted to offices in 1958. It gained national interest when Public Enemy #1 John Dillinger escaped from the jail in 1934. The structure was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1989, and the Old Sheriff's House Foundation began restoration of the building in 1991.