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New York City.
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New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York metropolitan area, one of the most populous urban agglomerations in the world.[6] The city is referred to as New York City or the City of New York to distinguish it from the State of New York, of which it is a part. A global power city,[7] New York exerts a significant impact upon commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and entertainment. The home of the United Nations Headquarters,[8] New York is an important center for international diplomacy[9] and has been described as the cultural capital of the world.[10][11]
On one of the world's largest natural harbors,[12] New York City consists of five boroughs, each of which is a county of New York State.[13] The five boroughs—the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, and Staten Island—were consolidated into a single city in 1898.[14] With a census-estimated 2013 population of 8,405,837[4] distributed over a land area of just 305 square miles (790 km2),[15] New York is the most densely populated major city in the United States.[16] As many as 800 languages are spoken in New York,[17][18] making it the most linguistically diverse city in the world.[19] By 2013 census estimates, the New York Metropolitan Area's population remains by a significant margin the United States' largest Metropolitan Statistical Area, with approximately 19.9 million people,[20] and is also part of the most populous Combined Statistical Area in the United States, containing an estimated 23.4 million people.
The Eastern State Penitentiary, also known as ESP, is a former American prison in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is located at 2027 Fairmount Avenue between Corinthian Avenue and North 22nd Street in the Fairmount section of the city, and was operational from 1829 until 1971. The penitentiary refined the revolutionary system of separate incarceration first pioneered at the Walnut Street Jail which emphasized principles of reform rather than punishment.
Notorious criminals such as Al Capone and bank robber Willie Sutton were held inside its innovative wagon wheel design. James Bruno (Big Joe) and several male relatives were incarcerated here between 1936-1948 for the alleged murders in the Kelayres Massacre of 1934, before they were pardoned. At its completion, the building was the largest and most expensive public structure ever erected, and quickly became a model for more than 300 prisons worldwide
The prison is currently a U.S. National Historic Landmark, which is open to the public as a museum for tours seven days a week, twelve months a year, 10 am to 5 pm.
The above information comes from Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_State_Penitentiary
2011-2017 Chevrolet Caprice belonging to the Illinois State Police. Located at the District 11 Office in Collinsville, near East St. Louis.
The Chrysler Building and the Empire State Building - The relationship
Probably the two most recognizable buildings in the world, the Chrysler Building and the Empire State Building, are often confused by new visitors to New York City.
It is a common occurrence on many private tours of the Best New York Sightseeing, when a guest will see the Chrysler Building for the first time and proclaim that it is the Empire State Building.
It is not so surprising that the two buildings can be confused since
The Chrysler building was built in 1930 and the Empire State Building was completed only 11 months later, both designed with a unique art deco style in the early 1930s.
The Chrysler Building, unlike the Empire State Building, was privately built by Walter P. Chrysler who wanted to boast of having a New York City-based building despite the fact that his corporation was primarily based in Detroit and its surroundings.
The Empire State Building, on the other hand, was built as a consortium between the New York State government and private industry in an attempt to economically rejuvenate a part of downtown Manhattan that had never really taken off, and was an attempt to attract Private industry to build more buildings in and around the new tower that breaks records.
Walter P. Chrysler, although he certainly had the influence of having his company pay for the construction of the Chrysler building, chose to pay for the incredible Chrysler building with his own money. When asked why he paid the bill for the construction of the Chrysler building directly, Walter P. Chrysler responded "... I would like my children to inherit the building ..."
The Empire State Building, completed less than a year later, in 1931, was for many years a kind of government's misguided effort to play with the generally natural way that real estate and buildings are usually built in American cities like New York. , that is, it depends on supply and demand.
Although it may be hard to believe for some, the Empire State Building was essentially a failure for many years after its completion in 1931. As little research was done in advance to determine if New York City needed another giant office tower in a time when the Great Depression was deepening, not to mention that at that moment, the location of 34th Street was a kind of no-man's land. very north of the downtown financial district and too far south of the new downtown core, which was rapidly becoming the area between 42nd Street and 50th Street.
Indeed, just a year after the Empire State Building opened to tenants of commercial offices, the vaunted New York Times sent a reporter to visit the tallest building in the world and a story appeared in the New York Times shortly after proclaiming the Empire State Building as the "Empty State Building". Virtually no tenants occupied this already iconic structure.
The management of the Empire State Building, incredibly embarrassed by the sincere but painful history of the New York Times, quickly hired a few dozen employees to raise and lower the elevators of the buildings during the evenings and nights to turn the lights on and off at Several empty offices on different floors to essentially "cheat" the public by seeing this giant structure from all parts of the city and make believe that the building had "tenants" everywhere.
Unit #5777 with the Virginia State Police Area 13 Office in Winchester, Virginia. This 2010 Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor is the Offices spare car and will be sitting for awhile. The equipment on the dash is covered from a piece of cloth to protect it from the sun. Last recorded mileage from this car was 137,780.
I have had the opportunity of doing a lot of industrial hygiene work in some amazing buildings in the Pacific Northwest. One of my favorite buildings is the Oregon State Capitol Building in Salem. I just rediscovered this photo I took there a couple of Christmases ago. In the warm seasons the sculpture you see in the foreground is a beautiful fountain.
Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Missouri_State_Penitentiary
The Missouri State Penitentiary was a prison in Jefferson City, Missouri, that operated from 1836 to 2004. Part of the Missouri Department of Corrections, it served as the state of Missouri's primary maximum security institution. Before it closed, it was the oldest operating penal facility west of the Mississippi River. It was replaced by the Jefferson City Correctional Center, which opened on September 15, 2004.
Source: www.missouripentours.com/history/
Still owned by State of Missouri, The Missouri State Penitentiary (MSP) opened in 1836 along the banks of the Missouri River in Jefferson City, Missouri, the state capital. The prison housed inmates for 168 years and was the oldest continually operating prison west of the Mississippi until it was decommissioned in 2004. Now the Jefferson City Convention & Visitors Bureau offers a wide variety of tours at the site, once named the “The bloodiest 47 acres in America” by Time Magazine.
In 1831 Jefferson City’s hold on the capital city status was a tenuous one. To ensure that it remained the seat of government, Governor John Miller suggested a prison be built in Jefferson City. Construction began in 1834 and the first inmate arrived in 1836. From then on the prison became famous for being one of the most efficient in the country…and infamous for its notorious inmates and the 1954 riot on its grounds.
A former Union General, the first train robber, 1930s gangsters, world champion athletes, and the assassin that killed Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. all came through the gates of the Missouri State Penitentiary (MSP) as inmates. Some left MSP for successful careers in the arts, sports, and even state government; others chose a life of more crime.
In September of 1937, Governor Lloyd Crow Stark signed a bill calling for execution by lethal gas. No longer would the local sheriff be responsible for carrying out the death penalty for those convicted in his county. The days of public hangings in Missouri were to finally come to an end. Many members of the legislature were strongly opposed to the bill and argued that more death sentences would result. Nevertheless, Missouri was, on the whole, a state that supported the death penalty for serious crimes. The bill was changed to lethal gas instead of the electric chair, and passed. In total, 40 inmates were put to death in the gas chamber between 1937 and 1989 when MSP death row ended and all capital punishment inmates were moved to the new prison at Potosi.
In 1985, officials from the MSP, the Department of Corrections, and the Division of Adult Institutions unearthed an old cell block that predated the Civil War. The discovery happened after a court order was issued to put in a recreation yard for offenders that were on death row. When the construction between Housing Units 2 and 3 began, and the crews started digging, they realized they hit something solid. This finding led to an exploration of six cells built around 1848, which were part of the long-buried Centennial Hall. Based on research, this is now believed to be the oldest existing building on the MSP property.
From the earliest days there was a need to isolate the female convicts that came to the Missouri State Penitentiary. Unfortunately, there was little provision for their incarceration. A number of female federal prisoners were sent to MSP because there were no federal facilities for women at the time. Their crimes were, in many cases, violations of immigration, naturalization or conspiracy laws, which coincided with the heightened fears during WWI.
During the years of 1953 and 1954 there had been a rash of prison riots across the United States. Many feared the Missouri system was ripe for an outbreak as well. The potential for riot became a popular topic of conversation which the Missouri Highway Patrol took very seriously, drafting a plan and training officers how to respond to such an event. The advance preparation would come in handy before long.
Keeping desperate and restless people behind bars will always present challenges to corrections officials. Early in the Missouri State Penitentiary’s history escapes were commonplace. Between a lack of a secure perimeter and prisoners working in the community, many escapes were accomplished without much planning or ingenuity.
In conjunction with the Missouri State Penitentiary tours, the museum residing in the lower-level of the Col. Darwin W. Marmaduke House provides additional historical information about the famous prison that operated for 168 years. The museum houses MSP memorabilia as well as a replica cell that demonstrates the living conditions at the prison. Visitors can view the many displays that provide information on prison industries, contract labor/private industries, life inside the walls and control/counter-control as well as items on loan from former Deputy Warden Mark Schreiber.
The entrance to the 71,100 acre Mistletoe State Park in Appling, GA. Situated on Clarks Hill Lake, this park has wonderful hiking trails and is known for its bass fishing. This is the 13th Georgia State Park Megan and I have visited.
1993 Ford Mustang Special Service Package (SSP) belonging to the Nebraska State Patrol. Equipped with a 5.0 302ci Windsor Engine. These were favored over the Camaros for the higher ride. Since its time in service, it has been restored by a Trooper and it lives its life mainly in Lincoln but moves around the state for parades, events, etc. It still does perform pullovers and backup, if anyone remembers the article from The Drive. Back in the 90s, they were used statewide, not only in larger cities or highways.
The coming storm adds dramas to the sky, which is much more enjoyable than the usual sunny sky without clouds.
Big sunny days, large green park, blue sky and the circus rolls into town to complete a set of full on primary colours.
Delaware State Police
Chevrolet Tahoe & Ford Explorer Utility
Picture Date: 05/24/2020
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The Arkansas State Capitol, often called the Capitol Building, is the home of the Arkansas General Assembly, and the seat of the Arkansas state government that sits atop Capitol Hill at the eastern end of the Capitol Mall in Little Rock, Arkansas.
History
In 1899, the St. Louis architect George R. Mann visited the governor of Arkansas Daniel W. Jones, and presented his drawings of his winning competition design from 1896 for the Montana State Capitol, which had not yet been built in their state capital of Helena. They were hung on the walls of the old Capitol to generate interest in a new building. The drawings' attractiveness eased the passage of the appropriation bills for the new building, and also drew attention to the architect. In 1899, Mann was selected as architect by a seven-member commission that included future governor George W. Donaghey. Donaghey opposed Mann's selection and advocated a national design competition, but the majority of the commission voted for Mann. After Donaghey was elected governor in 1908, he forced Mann off the project and selected Cass Gilbert to finish the Capitol.
Construction took 16 years, from 1899 to 1915. The Capitol was built on the site of the state penitentiary and prisoners helped construct the building. They lived in a dormitory that was left on the Capitol grounds while construction was taking place.
The Capitol foundations were aligned incorrectly by their original builder, future Governor George Donaghey. He centered the building on the centerline of Fifth Street (now Capitol Avenue), but he aligned the building north–south using the still-standing penitentiary walls as a guide without recognizing that Fifth Street was not aligned east–west; like other "east-west" downtown Little Rock streets, it runs parallel to the Arkansas River at a slight angle off true east–west. Therefore, the structure is in a north–south manner from end-to-end, which does not fit the grid street pattern of Little Rock's downtown. This also led to a slight S-curve in the formal entrance walkway between the foot of Capitol Avenue and the front steps of the Capitol.
In popular culture
Because of its monumental dome, the State Capitol has served as a filming location to stand in for the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C. Architecture
The exterior of the Capitol is made of limestone, which was quarried in Batesville, Arkansas. Though it was initially stipulated a total cost for the envisioned capitol would not to exceed $1 million, total construction cost eventually was $2.2 million (or $320 million in 2014 dollars). The front entrance doors are made of bronze, which are 10 feet (3 metres) tall, four inches (10 cm) thick and were purchased from Tiffany & Company in New York for $10,000. The cupola/dome is covered in 24 karat gold leaf. The government was formerly located in the Old State House. The structure also used Yule marble. NRHP 74000494
Tewksbury State Hospital
Tewksbury, MA
October 26, 2019
The hospital was established in 1852 as one of three state almshouses needed to help care for the unprecedented influx of immigrants into Massachusetts at that time. The almshouses were the Commonwealth's first venture into caring for the poor, a duty which had previously been carried out by the cities and towns. Opened on May 1, 1854 with a capacity for 500, the almshouse population grew to 668 by the end of the first week, and to over 800 by May 20th. By December 2, 1854, 2,193 "paupers" had been admitted. Nearly 90% of these listed European countries as their birthplace. The almshouse reported having 14 employees at that time, and was spending 94.5 cents per week per resident.
In 1866 the almshouse began accepting the "pauper insane" becoming the state's first facility to specifically accept cases with the diagnosis of chronic insanity. By 1874 the facility had become diversified: 40% was used as a mental illness ward, 27% as a hospital ward, and 33% as an almshouse. The chronically ill population continued to grow, alcoholics were admitted for treatment, and programs providing therapeutic industrial and occupational therapy were added in the 1870's. A Home Training School for Nurses was established in 1894, and the school became a full-fledged three-year program in 1898.
The most famous patient in the almshouse during the 19th century was Anne Sullivan, who later became the tutor and companion of Helen Keller. Anne Sullivan spent four years at the almshouse (1876-1880) before being transferred to the Perkins School for the Blind, now located in Watertown, Massachusetts. At age 20 she left the school to go to Helen Keller's home in Alabama. One of the buildings on today's Tewksbury Hospital Campus is named for Ms. Sullivan.
Reflecting its changing mission, the Tewksbury Almshouse became Tewksbury State Hospital in 1900, the Massachusetts State Infirmary in 1909, and Tewksbury State Hospital and Infirmary in 1938. Over the years, facilities were added for treating tuberculosis and other contagious diseases such as smallpox, venereal diseases and typhoid fever. Meanwhile it continued to serve as a last resort for many patients in need of shelter and supervised care, especially during the late 1920's and 1930's.
We stopped here for the night & definitely would again. Considering it was Nebraska (we are not fans of the state), it was a really nice find.
Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Missouri_State_Penitentiary
The Missouri State Penitentiary was a prison in Jefferson City, Missouri, that operated from 1836 to 2004. Part of the Missouri Department of Corrections, it served as the state of Missouri's primary maximum security institution. Before it closed, it was the oldest operating penal facility west of the Mississippi River. It was replaced by the Jefferson City Correctional Center, which opened on September 15, 2004.
Source: www.missouripentours.com/history/
Still owned by State of Missouri, The Missouri State Penitentiary (MSP) opened in 1836 along the banks of the Missouri River in Jefferson City, Missouri, the state capital. The prison housed inmates for 168 years and was the oldest continually operating prison west of the Mississippi until it was decommissioned in 2004. Now the Jefferson City Convention & Visitors Bureau offers a wide variety of tours at the site, once named the “The bloodiest 47 acres in America” by Time Magazine.
In 1831 Jefferson City’s hold on the capital city status was a tenuous one. To ensure that it remained the seat of government, Governor John Miller suggested a prison be built in Jefferson City. Construction began in 1834 and the first inmate arrived in 1836. From then on the prison became famous for being one of the most efficient in the country…and infamous for its notorious inmates and the 1954 riot on its grounds.
A former Union General, the first train robber, 1930s gangsters, world champion athletes, and the assassin that killed Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. all came through the gates of the Missouri State Penitentiary (MSP) as inmates. Some left MSP for successful careers in the arts, sports, and even state government; others chose a life of more crime.
In September of 1937, Governor Lloyd Crow Stark signed a bill calling for execution by lethal gas. No longer would the local sheriff be responsible for carrying out the death penalty for those convicted in his county. The days of public hangings in Missouri were to finally come to an end. Many members of the legislature were strongly opposed to the bill and argued that more death sentences would result. Nevertheless, Missouri was, on the whole, a state that supported the death penalty for serious crimes. The bill was changed to lethal gas instead of the electric chair, and passed. In total, 40 inmates were put to death in the gas chamber between 1937 and 1989 when MSP death row ended and all capital punishment inmates were moved to the new prison at Potosi.
In 1985, officials from the MSP, the Department of Corrections, and the Division of Adult Institutions unearthed an old cell block that predated the Civil War. The discovery happened after a court order was issued to put in a recreation yard for offenders that were on death row. When the construction between Housing Units 2 and 3 began, and the crews started digging, they realized they hit something solid. This finding led to an exploration of six cells built around 1848, which were part of the long-buried Centennial Hall. Based on research, this is now believed to be the oldest existing building on the MSP property.
From the earliest days there was a need to isolate the female convicts that came to the Missouri State Penitentiary. Unfortunately, there was little provision for their incarceration. A number of female federal prisoners were sent to MSP because there were no federal facilities for women at the time. Their crimes were, in many cases, violations of immigration, naturalization or conspiracy laws, which coincided with the heightened fears during WWI.
During the years of 1953 and 1954 there had been a rash of prison riots across the United States. Many feared the Missouri system was ripe for an outbreak as well. The potential for riot became a popular topic of conversation which the Missouri Highway Patrol took very seriously, drafting a plan and training officers how to respond to such an event. The advance preparation would come in handy before long.
Keeping desperate and restless people behind bars will always present challenges to corrections officials. Early in the Missouri State Penitentiary’s history escapes were commonplace. Between a lack of a secure perimeter and prisoners working in the community, many escapes were accomplished without much planning or ingenuity.
In conjunction with the Missouri State Penitentiary tours, the museum residing in the lower-level of the Col. Darwin W. Marmaduke House provides additional historical information about the famous prison that operated for 168 years. The museum houses MSP memorabilia as well as a replica cell that demonstrates the living conditions at the prison. Visitors can view the many displays that provide information on prison industries, contract labor/private industries, life inside the walls and control/counter-control as well as items on loan from former Deputy Warden Mark Schreiber.
2009 or 2010 Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor belonging to the Indiana State Police. Located at Fleet Services, this old CVPI is still seeing duty and is just in for a quick checkup.
Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Missouri_State_Penitentiary
The Missouri State Penitentiary was a prison in Jefferson City, Missouri, that operated from 1836 to 2004. Part of the Missouri Department of Corrections, it served as the state of Missouri's primary maximum security institution. Before it closed, it was the oldest operating penal facility west of the Mississippi River. It was replaced by the Jefferson City Correctional Center, which opened on September 15, 2004.
Source: www.missouripentours.com/history/
Still owned by State of Missouri, The Missouri State Penitentiary (MSP) opened in 1836 along the banks of the Missouri River in Jefferson City, Missouri, the state capital. The prison housed inmates for 168 years and was the oldest continually operating prison west of the Mississippi until it was decommissioned in 2004. Now the Jefferson City Convention & Visitors Bureau offers a wide variety of tours at the site, once named the “The bloodiest 47 acres in America” by Time Magazine.
In 1831 Jefferson City’s hold on the capital city status was a tenuous one. To ensure that it remained the seat of government, Governor John Miller suggested a prison be built in Jefferson City. Construction began in 1834 and the first inmate arrived in 1836. From then on the prison became famous for being one of the most efficient in the country…and infamous for its notorious inmates and the 1954 riot on its grounds.
A former Union General, the first train robber, 1930s gangsters, world champion athletes, and the assassin that killed Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. all came through the gates of the Missouri State Penitentiary (MSP) as inmates. Some left MSP for successful careers in the arts, sports, and even state government; others chose a life of more crime.
In September of 1937, Governor Lloyd Crow Stark signed a bill calling for execution by lethal gas. No longer would the local sheriff be responsible for carrying out the death penalty for those convicted in his county. The days of public hangings in Missouri were to finally come to an end. Many members of the legislature were strongly opposed to the bill and argued that more death sentences would result. Nevertheless, Missouri was, on the whole, a state that supported the death penalty for serious crimes. The bill was changed to lethal gas instead of the electric chair, and passed. In total, 40 inmates were put to death in the gas chamber between 1937 and 1989 when MSP death row ended and all capital punishment inmates were moved to the new prison at Potosi.
In 1985, officials from the MSP, the Department of Corrections, and the Division of Adult Institutions unearthed an old cell block that predated the Civil War. The discovery happened after a court order was issued to put in a recreation yard for offenders that were on death row. When the construction between Housing Units 2 and 3 began, and the crews started digging, they realized they hit something solid. This finding led to an exploration of six cells built around 1848, which were part of the long-buried Centennial Hall. Based on research, this is now believed to be the oldest existing building on the MSP property.
From the earliest days there was a need to isolate the female convicts that came to the Missouri State Penitentiary. Unfortunately, there was little provision for their incarceration. A number of female federal prisoners were sent to MSP because there were no federal facilities for women at the time. Their crimes were, in many cases, violations of immigration, naturalization or conspiracy laws, which coincided with the heightened fears during WWI.
During the years of 1953 and 1954 there had been a rash of prison riots across the United States. Many feared the Missouri system was ripe for an outbreak as well. The potential for riot became a popular topic of conversation which the Missouri Highway Patrol took very seriously, drafting a plan and training officers how to respond to such an event. The advance preparation would come in handy before long.
Keeping desperate and restless people behind bars will always present challenges to corrections officials. Early in the Missouri State Penitentiary’s history escapes were commonplace. Between a lack of a secure perimeter and prisoners working in the community, many escapes were accomplished without much planning or ingenuity.
In conjunction with the Missouri State Penitentiary tours, the museum residing in the lower-level of the Col. Darwin W. Marmaduke House provides additional historical information about the famous prison that operated for 168 years. The museum houses MSP memorabilia as well as a replica cell that demonstrates the living conditions at the prison. Visitors can view the many displays that provide information on prison industries, contract labor/private industries, life inside the walls and control/counter-control as well as items on loan from former Deputy Warden Mark Schreiber.
Unit #2 belonging to Troop P for Pennsylvania State Police. This 2008 Ford Expedition was the only one at the procession out of the 250 or so PSP units.
Format: Photograph
Find more detailed information about this photograph: acms.sl.nsw.gov.au/item/itemDetailPaged.aspx?itemID=21366
Search for more great images in the State Library's collections: acms.sl.nsw.gov.au/search/SimpleSearch.aspx
From the collection of the State Library of New South Wales www.sl.nsw.gov.au
Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Missouri_State_Penitentiary
The Missouri State Penitentiary was a prison in Jefferson City, Missouri, that operated from 1836 to 2004. Part of the Missouri Department of Corrections, it served as the state of Missouri's primary maximum security institution. Before it closed, it was the oldest operating penal facility west of the Mississippi River. It was replaced by the Jefferson City Correctional Center, which opened on September 15, 2004.
Source: www.missouripentours.com/history/
Still owned by State of Missouri, The Missouri State Penitentiary (MSP) opened in 1836 along the banks of the Missouri River in Jefferson City, Missouri, the state capital. The prison housed inmates for 168 years and was the oldest continually operating prison west of the Mississippi until it was decommissioned in 2004. Now the Jefferson City Convention & Visitors Bureau offers a wide variety of tours at the site, once named the “The bloodiest 47 acres in America” by Time Magazine.
In 1831 Jefferson City’s hold on the capital city status was a tenuous one. To ensure that it remained the seat of government, Governor John Miller suggested a prison be built in Jefferson City. Construction began in 1834 and the first inmate arrived in 1836. From then on the prison became famous for being one of the most efficient in the country…and infamous for its notorious inmates and the 1954 riot on its grounds.
A former Union General, the first train robber, 1930s gangsters, world champion athletes, and the assassin that killed Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. all came through the gates of the Missouri State Penitentiary (MSP) as inmates. Some left MSP for successful careers in the arts, sports, and even state government; others chose a life of more crime.
In September of 1937, Governor Lloyd Crow Stark signed a bill calling for execution by lethal gas. No longer would the local sheriff be responsible for carrying out the death penalty for those convicted in his county. The days of public hangings in Missouri were to finally come to an end. Many members of the legislature were strongly opposed to the bill and argued that more death sentences would result. Nevertheless, Missouri was, on the whole, a state that supported the death penalty for serious crimes. The bill was changed to lethal gas instead of the electric chair, and passed. In total, 40 inmates were put to death in the gas chamber between 1937 and 1989 when MSP death row ended and all capital punishment inmates were moved to the new prison at Potosi.
In 1985, officials from the MSP, the Department of Corrections, and the Division of Adult Institutions unearthed an old cell block that predated the Civil War. The discovery happened after a court order was issued to put in a recreation yard for offenders that were on death row. When the construction between Housing Units 2 and 3 began, and the crews started digging, they realized they hit something solid. This finding led to an exploration of six cells built around 1848, which were part of the long-buried Centennial Hall. Based on research, this is now believed to be the oldest existing building on the MSP property.
From the earliest days there was a need to isolate the female convicts that came to the Missouri State Penitentiary. Unfortunately, there was little provision for their incarceration. A number of female federal prisoners were sent to MSP because there were no federal facilities for women at the time. Their crimes were, in many cases, violations of immigration, naturalization or conspiracy laws, which coincided with the heightened fears during WWI.
During the years of 1953 and 1954 there had been a rash of prison riots across the United States. Many feared the Missouri system was ripe for an outbreak as well. The potential for riot became a popular topic of conversation which the Missouri Highway Patrol took very seriously, drafting a plan and training officers how to respond to such an event. The advance preparation would come in handy before long.
Keeping desperate and restless people behind bars will always present challenges to corrections officials. Early in the Missouri State Penitentiary’s history escapes were commonplace. Between a lack of a secure perimeter and prisoners working in the community, many escapes were accomplished without much planning or ingenuity.
In conjunction with the Missouri State Penitentiary tours, the museum residing in the lower-level of the Col. Darwin W. Marmaduke House provides additional historical information about the famous prison that operated for 168 years. The museum houses MSP memorabilia as well as a replica cell that demonstrates the living conditions at the prison. Visitors can view the many displays that provide information on prison industries, contract labor/private industries, life inside the walls and control/counter-control as well as items on loan from former Deputy Warden Mark Schreiber.