Old Idaho Penitentiary
2445 Old Penitentiary Rd, Boise, Idaho.
I was googling different places that would be interesting to learn about, and this one popped up. I personally like learning about old prisons, asylums, and places that have an interesting past. Not exactly haunted places, but most places that have an interesting past seem haunted. Let’s learn about the Old Idaho Penitentiary.
This penitentiary was built in 1870. Opened in 1872 as the Territorial Prison. It was renamed when Idaho achieved statehood in 1890. This prison has seen the effects of Boise's transition, from the Wild West to a mid-20th century capital city. The Old Idaho Penitentiary is 1 of only 4 territorial prisons open to the public. It has since been converted from an operational prison to a museum detailing the prisons history. Over the years of operation, this prison housed over 13,000 inmates, 36 different wardens, and is the site of numerous escapes, riots, and a few executions.
Old Idaho Penitentiary, or Old Pen, was constructed in the Second Empire architectural style, including guard turrets and thick wall reminiscent of a castle or fortress. The architects that were building the prison intended for…
