The Berrien County Historical Association is asking visitors to the History Center at Courthouse Square in Berrien Springs to be more careful when on the property.
The association says the center carries a dual identity as a historic museum and site as well as a county park, and with 1.6 acres of land, it does get many visitors. However, it says in recent months it has noticed many children using its jail cells as jungle gyms, climbing on the bars and sometimes hanging from the top.
The association says it has witnessed some parents encourage their kids to climb around on the bars. It notes the structures were installed in the early 90s and have long been exposed to the elements, causing them to age quickly. The group says it’s “uncertain of the structural integrity of the cells’ foundation – if there is any – and how much longer it will hold before full replacement becomes necessary.” Therefore, it’s asking parents to make sure their kids don’t climb on the bars.
The History Center at Courthouse Square will now follow a zero-tolerance policy and ask guests who climb on the jail cells to leave when they are caught.
