The Jail Tree Stump is one of the most asked about items in the Patagonia Museum. Jail trees were used to shackle unruly citizens, mostly during the territorial days in rural communities like Patagonia.
Sometimes the arrested individual, after being shackled to the tree and after law enforcement had left him to sleep it off, would be joined by his drinking companions and the party would continue into the wee hours of the dawn. The lawbreaker would generally be released in the morning.
This mesquite tree stump was saved by Doug Thaemert, a local collector, blacksmith and wheelwright. The tree stump was located in the space next to the Long Realty Office on McKeown Ave.