A Day in Eastern State Penitentiary

Guard Tower

Even though Bruce and I went to Drexel University in Philadelphia we were not aware of nearby Eastern State Penitentiary or its historical significance.  Opened in 1829 it was one of  the most 

expensive and copied buildings in the country.museum.

Cell blocks

 It was built in a time when it was thought that prisoners would be "penitent" if they had time to reflect on their crimes.  This system where every prisoner was in solitary confinement, was called the Pennsylvania System.  Masks and individual yards for exercise were used to prevent inmates from having contact with each other and minimize contact with guards. This system had broken down centuries earlier but was officially abandoned in 1913.  The last prisoners were housed here in the 1960's and it was abandoned in 1971.  It sat empty until 1988 when the city of Philadelphia purchased it and began to stabilize and repair the building.  Today you can visit and imagine what life inside would have been like.

Dentist office