2014-23 Old Idaho Penitentiary, Idaho
Hello All,
This week we took a short roadtrip—about ten miles from our home in Idaho. Our destination was the Old Idaho Penitentiary which is a state historic site. It was a functional prison from 1872 to 1973 and was also known as the Territorial Prison.
In the late 19th century the territory of Idaho was still frontier land, and like most territories at the time, many of its settlements were lawless. In order to obtain statehood in the Union, Idaho needed a prison, a place to hold the dregs of society and to reform others. The penitentiary’s first building was constructed in the Territory of Idaho in 1870. It is the place where some of the West’s most notorious criminals were housed.
Visiting an old penitentiary is not really our cup of tea. We would rather be out in a national park enjoying the work of Mother Nature. However, we felt obligated to check it out because of the history associated with it and the fact that it is located in our own backyard.
One of the first things you see when approaching the prison is the caged area were new prisoners were brought for processing into the facility.
This week we took a short roadtrip—about ten miles from our home in Idaho. Our destination was the Old Idaho Penitentiary which is a state historic site. It was a functional prison from 1872 to 1973 and was also known as the Territorial Prison.
In the late 19th century the territory of Idaho was still frontier land, and like most territories at the time, many of its settlements were lawless. In order to obtain statehood in the Union, Idaho needed a prison, a place to hold the dregs of society and to reform others. The penitentiary’s first building was constructed in the Territory of Idaho in 1870. It is the place where some of the West’s most notorious criminals were housed.
Visiting an old penitentiary is not really our cup of tea. We would rather be out in a national park enjoying the work of Mother Nature. However, we felt obligated to check it out because of the history associated with it and the fact that it is located in our own backyard.
One of the first things you see when approaching the prison is the caged area were new prisoners were brought for processing into the facility.
Interestingly, across the street from the prisoner entrance is the historic Bishop House. This beautiful house was once home to a succession of the Episcopal Bishops of Idaho. Each of the men who served as the head of Episcopal Diocese of Idaho lived in this home with their families while serving as Bishop. The original house was built in the late 1880's. It was remodeled to its current Queen Anne style Victorian home in 1899.
Here is the stark public entrance into the old penitentiary. Inside you get information on the facility and for a nominal fee you can tour the prison.
After watching about a 20-minute video on the history of the penitentiary and with a map in hand, we were ready for a self-guided tour. The complex of buildings is surrounded by a large sandstone wall. Prisoners mined a nearby rock quarry to build the very walls that would hold them captive.
This was our first view upon passing through the high containment walls. You can see a round guard tower on the corner of the wall.
This was our first view upon passing through the high containment walls. You can see a round guard tower on the corner of the wall.
Starting as a “one-cell house” the penitentiary grew over the years to thirty buildings. At its peak it held up to 600 prisoners at any given time.
However, the inmates suffered through almost inhuman conditions while housed here. The sandstone that formed the walls was a plentiful and inexpensive building material, but it also intensified the temperatures inside the cells. In the hot Boise summers, the sandstone retained the heat, creating a stifling oven effect. During winter months the walls held the bitter cold creating a continuous icebox effect for them to live in.
However, the inmates suffered through almost inhuman conditions while housed here. The sandstone that formed the walls was a plentiful and inexpensive building material, but it also intensified the temperatures inside the cells. In the hot Boise summers, the sandstone retained the heat, creating a stifling oven effect. During winter months the walls held the bitter cold creating a continuous icebox effect for them to live in.
Proper plumbing didn’t reach the prison until the 1920s. This unpleasant condition resulted in the spread of disease.
In this shot you can see a more modern version of a cell block. It appears to be of concrete rather than sandstone.
In 1971 and again in 1973, riots broke out in the penitentiary. Prisoners burned the chapel and dining hall to the ground and damaged many other buildings. The 1973 riot was the more severe of the two and shortly thereafter prisoners were moved to a more modern penitentiary south of Boise. This is the shell of one of the burnt out buildings.
We were allowed to go in the various cell blocks. There was a stark difference between the older and newer blocks—however, none of them were desirable my any means! Here is a photo of one of the older cell blocks with steel strapping rather than bars on the cells. They gave the appearance of dungeons rather than cells.
The steel bars on the more modern cell blocks would at least allow more light and air flow into the cells.
Cells varied in that some were single occupant while others held from two to four prisoners. As you can see, privacy was not an option for inmates.
Here is a four person cell with a single sink and commode between the bunks—not pleasant living conditions by any stretch of the imagination.
In 1923, inmates completed construction on a building to be used as a shirt factory. Prison officials hoped the factory would help alleviate the problem of inmate idleness. It also housed the prison showers so that inmates no longer had to bathe in unsanitary plunge baths beneath the prison dining hall. Just a year later 170 of the 274 inmates worked in the shirt factory. However, in 1933 interstate commerce laws closed the shirt factory. During the Depression concerned citizens and lawmakers believed convict labor and the goods produced should not compete with honest citizens.
A prison laundry was then set up in the building. In the 1940s inmates began laundering uniforms and other clothing for soldiers stationed at Gowen Field and Mountain Home Air Base in Idaho. We found touring the old laundry to be quite interesting.
A prison laundry was then set up in the building. In the 1940s inmates began laundering uniforms and other clothing for soldiers stationed at Gowen Field and Mountain Home Air Base in Idaho. We found touring the old laundry to be quite interesting.
It was pretty obvious that Occupational Safety & Health Administration standards were not in effect at the time.
Today other buildings in the complex feature special exhibits such as the J. Curtis Earl Memorial Exhibit of Arms and Armaments. We found this exhibit to be quite remarkable with some amazing pieces. Most of us have heard of the Gatling gun and seen them in old movies. But few of us know much about the history of the gun. In 1861, Dr. Richard Gatling began to draw up plans for a machine gun intended to defend buildings, causeways, and bridges. His first model went through a few modifications, resulting in the famous Model 1862 “Revolving Battery Gun,” known at the “Gatling gun.”
Amongst the many guns on display was a Colt Model 1883 Gatling gun. This is a highly desirable piece sought out by collectors.
Amongst the many guns on display was a Colt Model 1883 Gatling gun. This is a highly desirable piece sought out by collectors.
We learned that in the early days of Idaho’s penitentiary there was a common belief that women could not be held responsible for murder. Juries were comprised of only men at the time and it was generally thought that women didn’t have it in them to be intellectually capable of committing murder.
Often women were not tried for first degree murder, as juries didn’t have it in their hearts to hang a woman. This was reflected in the short terms they were sentenced to after major offenses.
When the Penitentiary was built there was no provision for women prisoners at all. It wasn’t until 1920 that a Women’s Ward was built at the site.
Often women were not tried for first degree murder, as juries didn’t have it in their hearts to hang a woman. This was reflected in the short terms they were sentenced to after major offenses.
When the Penitentiary was built there was no provision for women prisoners at all. It wasn’t until 1920 that a Women’s Ward was built at the site.
Cells within the Women’s Ward were small and held one or possibly two inmates. However, cells had the benefit of a window that opened to the yard outside for ventilation. While still on the penitentiary grounds, the ward was built outside the containment walls where men prisoners were housed.
After about four hours we decided that we had done enough time and called it a day. We found the Old Idaho Penitentiary an interesting piece of history with some neat exhibits. It was well worth the time if you have an afternoon to spare while in the area.
Our next adventure will take us to a place in Oregon that neither of us had heard of before called Leslie Gulch. Heck, we would venture to say that not many Oregonians have heard of it--and even fewer have visited there. Hope you will join us on this scenic ride.
Until next time,
Dave & Barb
The Traveling Browns
Our next adventure will take us to a place in Oregon that neither of us had heard of before called Leslie Gulch. Heck, we would venture to say that not many Oregonians have heard of it--and even fewer have visited there. Hope you will join us on this scenic ride.
Until next time,
Dave & Barb
The Traveling Browns