Prior to 1910, the only county jail was in Genoa, the county seat; however, since Gardnerville was several miles from Genoa, it resorted to housing prisoners in the local judge's granary.

As the granary was considered unfit for holding prisoners, the community petitioned the county to construct a new jail.

However, local leaders in Minden, who wanted to move the county seat to their town, protested the move, as they suspected that Gardnerville was attempting to claim the county seat itself.

[3] In addition, the unemployed were considered vagrants and were not allowed on the town's streets after dark.

[2] The jail was added to the National Register of Historic Places on May 16, 2003.