By the turn of the twentieth century, newly elected Caddo Parish Sheriff, Samuel J. Ward, Caesar Carpentier Antoine promoted the need for a strong and efficient Sheriff's Office and urged the passage of several taxes to fund its growth. Not only did the duties and responsibilities of the Sheriff's Office expand, so did the size of its staff and inmate population. The parish was in need of a new jail to accommodate its rise in confinement rates. The land where Antoine’s plantation once stood was purchased by the parish and was a prime location to build this needed prison. ~ Haunted Nation