America’s First True Penitentiary is a 142-Year-Old Prison That Invented Solitary Confinement

Eastern State Penitentiary, Philadelphia

Standing in downtown Philly like a medieval castle that took a wrong turn, Eastern State Penitentiary is what happens when Quaker ideals meet Gothic architecture and prison reform gets seriously twisted.

Built as a Gothic fortress, it introduced a new system where prisoners lived completely alone – a practice that would later damage many inmates’ mental health. Spoiler alert: Al Capone was a bit of a fan of the interior design.

The Idea Came from Quakers

This prison changed how America thought about punishment and rehabilitation. The Quakers believed that if prisoners spent time alone, they would feel sorry for their crimes and want to change their lives.

Each prisoner lived in a 6-by-9-foot cell that had a single window in the ceiling, which guards called ‘the eye of God.’ They also got a Bible and their own small exercise yard. When prisoners had to move around, they wore black wool hoods to keep them from seeing or talking to others.

A Prison Design That Spread All Over the World

John Haviland’s design for the Eastern State in 1829 was unlike anything built before. The prison had seven long hallways that spread out like wheel spokes from a central hub, making it easy for guards to watch all areas from one spot.

The building looked like a castle, with high stone walls and guard towers that were meant to scare both prisoners and the public. When it first opened, Eastern State was America’s most expensive public building, costing $780,000 – about $430 million in today’s money.

The design worked so well that more than 300 prisons around the world copied it. The prison even had modern features that most homes didn’t have, like central heating, toilets that flushed, and natural light in every cell.

Al Capone’s Comfortable Prison Cell

In 1929, gangster Al Capone spent eight months in Cell 3, living very differently from other prisoners. While most inmates had plain iron beds and straw mattresses, Capone’s cell looked more like a comfortable study. He had a $500 radio, fancy rugs from a department store, and expensive oil paintings on his walls.

Capone ate his meals using fine dishes and wrote letters at a polished wooden desk while sitting in a soft chair. When a Philadelphia newspaper wrote about Capone’s special treatment, the public was angry. Regular prisoners lived in bare concrete rooms, but Capone’s cell had all the comforts of a nice home.

The Nightmarish Klondike Underground Cell

Under cellblock 14, the prison had a terrifying punishment area called ‘The Klondike.’ These underground cells were completely dark, with barely any fresh air coming through small pipes. Prisoners sent here slept on hard concrete beds and endured extreme temperatures.

In winter, the cells were freezing, and guards sometimes poured water on the floor to make ice. In summer, the temperature in these cells gets very hot. These cells can still be seen today, though they’re partly filled with water. The iron doors still hang on rusty hinges, and you can see where prisoners scratched messages into the walls.

Twelve Prisoners Almost Escaped

A group of prisoners planned an incredible escape in April 1945. They worked for more than a year to dig a tunnel that stretched 97 feet from cell block seven to beyond the prison walls.

The tunnel was three feet wide and three feet high. The prisoners carried dirt out in their pockets during exercise time, flushing some down toilets and hiding the rest in the walls.

They made their own tools from things they stole, including a pickaxe made from a shovel handle. They even set up electric lights in the tunnel using stolen wires and bulbs. Guards caught all twelve prisoners within a few months.

It Had Plumbing Before the White House

Eastern State had better plumbing than most places in America when it opened, including the White House. Each 8-by-12-foot cell had its own toilet, running water, and heating system.

The prison pumped 87 gallons of water to each cell every day. Underground furnaces sent hot air through pipes to keep all seven cellblocks warm.

These modern features were rare in the 1800s since most American homes wouldn’t have indoor plumbing for another 50 years. Today, visitors can still see the old sinks and the maze of rusty heating pipes in the prison’s thick walls.

A Maximum Security Prison That Never Executed Inmates

Even though the Eastern State held dangerous criminals from 1829 to 1971, it never carried out executions. This choice reflected the Quaker belief in reforming prisoners rather than killing them.

When courts sentenced prisoners to death, guards moved them and carried out the executions at county jails, rather than within the state penitentiary, to make the process less public and more private.

Modern Improvements Couldn’t Save the Prison

By 1960, Eastern State tried to update its buildings and change how it treated prisoners. The prison spent $3 million to add new areas, including a gym with basketball courts and a baseball field. But the old building had too many problems. It cost more than $200,000 every year just to keep the prison running.

Workers tried to fix things by turning single cells into group rooms and adding new security systems. These changes weren’t enough to keep the prison open. The building was just too old and expensive to run, so it closed in 1971.

Reports of Strange Events in Empty Cells

Many people who visit or used to work at the prison say they’ve experienced unexplained things, especially in cell blocks 4, 6, and 12. They hear footsteps in empty hallways and voices coming from cells where no one lives.

Cellblock 12 seems to have the most strange events, particularly in cells 6, 7, and 8. People say these cells suddenly get colder than the rest of the prison.

Former guards have heard keys jingling and cell doors closing when no one else was around. People studying ghosts have recorded strange voices and had their equipment stop working for no clear reason while inside the prison.

There Are Original Prison Items Left Behind

When Eastern State closed, everything stayed exactly where it was, like a snapshot of prison life frozen in time. A number of books remained on library shelves, and medical tools sat untouched in the hospital wing. No one moved the personal items in cells or cleaned out the guard posts.

Riots and Unrest at Eastern State Penitentiary

Eastern State Penitentiary saw riots in 1933 and 1934, as prisoners protested overcrowding, lack of recreation, and poor conditions, resulting in fires and disturbances.

In 1933, inmates set fires and destroyed workshops in response to the harsh conditions. A second riot in 1934 erupted over low wages, with prisoners short-circuiting outlets and starting fires.

Warden Smith responded with force to quell the unrest. These incidents, alongside overcrowding and failed reform efforts, contributed to the prison’s closure in 1971 after 142 years of operation.