Eastern State Penitentiary, Philadelphia – Legends of America
"Looking down these dreary passages, the dull repose and quiet that prevails is awful… Over the head and face of every prisoner who enters this melancholy house, a black hood is drawn … the curtain dropped between him and the living world… He is a man buried alive, to be dug out in the slow round of years." – Charles Dickens
The Eastern State Penitentiary, situated in the vibrant city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, stands as a formidable testament to a bygone era of penal reform. This imposing structure, once among the most costly prisons ever erected, is steeped in a history marked by radical philosophies, notorious criminals, and chilling tales of the supernatural. Indeed, it is often proclaimed as the most haunted prison in the United States, a claim substantiated by countless accounts of paranormal activity.
Genesis of a New Prison System
The genesis of Eastern State Penitentiary can be traced back to 1787, a mere four years after the conclusion of the American Revolution. A group of influential men convened at the residence of Benjamin Franklin, a luminary of the era, to deliberate on the dire state of the prison system. At the time, the Walnut Street Jail, located in close proximity to Independence Hall, was a deplorable institution characterized by squalid conditions and rampant abuse.
Within the confines of Walnut Street Jail, men, women, and children, regardless of the severity of their crimes, were indiscriminately confined in overcrowded and unsanitary pens. Disease was rampant, and the environment was fraught with danger. Basic necessities such as food, warmth, and protection were only accessible to those who could afford them. Rape, robbery, and beatings were commonplace, and prisoners often succumbed to cold or starvation.
These appalling conditions galvanized the formation of the Philadelphia Society for Alleviating the Miseries of Public Prisons, which convened at Benjamin Franklin’s home to explore potential improvements and alternatives. Dr. Benjamin Rush, a prominent Philadelphia physician and a signatory of the Declaration of Independence, advocated for the establishment of a "house of repentance" rather than a traditional prison. It was from this concept that the term "penitentiary" originated. Rush posited that crime was a "moral disease" necessitating radical change. He envisioned a "house of repentance" where prisoners could reflect on their transgressions, experience spiritual remorse, and undergo rehabilitation. This plan revolved around solitary confinement, intended to facilitate introspection and repentance, and eschewed corporal punishment. The other members concurred, and the method, known as the Pennsylvania System, would be implemented at Eastern State Penitentiary and other facilities worldwide.
The Philadelphia Society for Alleviating the Miseries of Public Prisons continues to exist today, under the name of the Pennsylvania Prison Society, championing correctional reform and social justice.
Architectural Marvel and Revolutionary Design
The society’s members successfully persuaded the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to embark on a new venture at the Walnut Street Jail. In 1790, a small "Penitentiary House" comprising 16 solitary cells was constructed. Inmates were segregated by gender and crime, vocational workshops were established to occupy their time, and many of the abusive practices were eradicated. However, overcrowding persisted, and the city’s burgeoning population exacerbated the crime rate.
Decades would pass before a new prison was constructed, but in 1822, ground was broken for Eastern State Penitentiary in a cherry orchard outside the city. Designed by British-born architect John Haviland, the prison was an architectural marvel, featuring seven single-level cell block wings radiating from a central surveillance hub. This innovative design allowed a single guard to monitor all cell blocks, enhancing security and control. Haviland drew inspiration from English prisons and asylums built in the 1780s, imbuing the structure with a neo-Gothic aesthetic. The building’s imposing facade, complete with fake battlements and windows, was intended to instill fear and respect, while the interior was designed to resemble a church, fostering a sense of solemnity and reflection.
The Pennsylvania System in Practice
Eastern State Penitentiary officially opened its doors in 1829, seven years after construction commenced. With an initial capacity of 250 inmates, each prisoner was housed in an 8 x 12-foot cell equipped with central heating, a flush toilet, running water, a shower/bath, a skylight, and a private exercise yard.
From the moment they entered the facility, inmates were subjected to strict isolation. They were escorted into the prison with eyeless hoods placed over their heads, further enhancing their sense of disorientation and isolation. This isolation was intended to encourage contemplation of their crimes and facilitate repentance and reformation through Bible study.
To ensure complete isolation, inmates were prohibited from interacting with other prisoners or maintaining contact with friends and family. When outside their cells, they were required to wear masks to conceal their faces in their private exercise yards, which they were allowed to use for one hour per day, minimizing interactions with the guards. During their time in their cells, they engaged in prison projects such as shoemaking or weaving. The only permitted contact was with the warden, who was required to visit each inmate daily, and the overseers, who were mandated to see each inmate three times a day. However, even this communication was conducted through a small portal, through which meals and work materials were passed.
Challenges and Adaptations
By 1831, it became apparent that the prison’s capacity was insufficient to accommodate the growing number of criminals. Consequently, second floors were added to all of the wings. In the same year, the first female prisoner was confined in the penitentiary.
In 1832, the first inmate successfully escaped from the prison. This inmate, who served as the warden’s waiter and was not entirely confined to solitude, lowered himself from the roof of the front building. He was later apprehended and returned, only to escape again in the same manner in 1837.
By the time the original plan was completed in 1836, the building was the largest and most expensive public structure ever erected in the United States, costing $780,000, equivalent to more than $18 million today. At that time, its cost was believed to have been second only to the U.S. Capitol.
Criticism and Decline of the Pennsylvania System
The Pennsylvania System was met with opposition from proponents of the Auburn System, also known as the New York System, which advocated for forced labor in silence and permitted physical punishment. The Auburn System gained favor in the United States.
Despite the cost and criticism, delegates from around the world visited Eastern State Penitentiary to study its radial floor plan and system of solitary confinement, which served as a model for more than 300 prisons worldwide.
However, not everyone was convinced of the method’s efficacy. Charles Dickens, after a visit in 1842, wrote critically:
"I am persuaded that those who designed this system… do not know what they are doing… I hold the slow and daily tampering with the mysteries of the brain to be immeasurably worse than any torture of the body."
By the 1870s, the prison’s capacity was again strained, and four new cell blocks were added in 1877 between the existing wings. Eventually, the individual exercise yards were eliminated, and inmates exercised together, albeit still required to wear masks and remain silent.
Brutality and Torture
Although the Pennsylvania System ostensibly prohibited corporal punishment, guards and councilors were known to employ various physical and psychological torture regimens for infractions. The "water bath" involved dousing inmates with water outside during winter and hanging them on a wall until ice formed on their skin. The "mad chair" entailed binding prisoners tightly for days, restricting circulation. The "iron gag" involved tying an inmate’s hands behind the back, with a chain attached to an iron collar in the mouth, causing the tongue to tear and bleed.
An underground cell known as the "Hole" was located beneath Block #14. Inmates would be confined here for weeks, with no light, no human contact, and only bread and water to eat.
Abandonment of the Pennsylvania System
Due to overcrowding, Eastern State Penitentiary abandoned the Pennsylvania System of isolation and penitence in 1913. Prisoners began sharing cells, working together, and even participating in organized sports.
By the 1920s, the prison housed approximately 2,000 prisoners, necessitating the construction of additional cells, some of which were located below ground. These windowless cells were intended for punishment rather than repentance. By this time, each cell housed two to three prisoners. In 1923, all female prisoners were transferred to the new prison at Muncy.
Escapes and Riots
In July 1923, Leo Callahan and five accomplices successfully scaled the east wall using a ladder they had constructed after holding up a group of unarmed guards. Callahan’s accomplices, including one who reached Honolulu, Hawaii, were eventually apprehended. However, Callahan was never recaptured.
By this time, the prison also housed violent criminals and those sentenced to be executed. In 1933, a riot erupted in the prison due to insufficient recreational facilities, overcrowding, and idleness. Inmates set fires in their cells and destroyed workshops. Another riot occurred the following year over low wages, with prisoners short-circuiting electrical outlets, starting fires, and causing other disturbances.
In April 1945, 12 men escaped through a 97-foot-long tunnel built by Clarence Klinedinst, a prison plasterer. The men were quickly recaptured and returned to the prison.
Later Years and Closure
In 1959, a new cell block was opened to house violent criminals. The last cell block to be built was the only one with electric doors. Although the prison housed those on "death row," no executions were ever carried out at the facility.
In 1961, an inmate named John Klausenberg tricked a guard into opening another inmate’s cell, and he and the other prisoner overpowered the guard, initiating the largest riot in the prison’s history. A large force of police, guards, and state troopers took several hours to regain control of the prison.
The riot fueled discussions about closing Eastern State Penitentiary, which had since been renamed the State Correctional Institution at Philadelphia. In addition to overcrowding, the prison was severely deteriorating.
In January 1970, the prison closed, and the inmates were transferred to the State Correctional Institution at Graterford. After a riot at a prison in Holmesburg, the prison temporarily housed some inmates again. In 1971, it was officially closed forever.
Notable Inmates and Legacy
Over its 142 years of operation, Eastern State Penitentiary housed approximately 75,000 inmates, including Prohibition-era gangster Al Capone and notorious bank robber Willie Sutton. More than 100 inmates escaped during this time, but all were recaptured, except for Leo Callahan.
During the prison’s operation, two guards and several inmates were murdered within its walls. Other prisoners committed suicide, and hundreds of others died from disease and old age.
Preservation and Transformation
Designated a National Historic Landmark in 1965, the prison remained abandoned after its closure, falling victim to vandalism and the encroachment of vegetation.
The City of Philadelphia purchased the property with the intention of redeveloping it, considering proposals such as demolishing the building to construct a criminal justice center, a mall, or a luxury apartment complex. However, in 1988, a task force successfully petitioned the city to halt development, and in 1994, the Pennsylvania Prison Society opened the prison for historic tours.
Eastern State Penitentiary Today
Today, Eastern State Penitentiary, preserved in a state of "preserved ruin," operates as a museum and historic site. It is open year-round for tours, and special events are held throughout the year.
Haunted History
In addition to its long and storied history, the penitentiary is widely regarded as the most haunted prison in the United States. Paranormal groups have investigated it for years, and it has been featured in numerous television shows. Investigators, staff, and visitors have reported countless paranormal activities and sightings of ghostly entities.
One of the first accounts of ghostly activity came from Al Capone, who claimed to be haunted by the ghost of James Clark, one of the victims of the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre in Chicago, during his eight-month imprisonment from 1929 to 1930.
In the 1940s, prisoners and guards began experiencing unusual phenomena and unexplained sightings, including spooky shadows and unexplained noises.
Cellblock 12 is believed to be an area of intense paranormal activity, with reports of cackling and whispers, as well as the apparition of a prisoner. In Cellblock 6, shadowy figures are often seen sliding along the walls, and whispers, screams, and laughter have been heard.
In Cellblock 4, ghostly, anguished faces have been seen, and loud whispers have been heard. A locksmith working in this area experienced a vivid encounter while removing an old lock from a cell door, feeling overwhelmed by a massive force and witnessing distorted forms swirling around the cellblock.
Many have reported seeing the silhouette of a guard in one of the watchtowers.
On the third floor of one cell block, visitors have reported hearing cell doors suddenly opening and slamming shut.
The catwalk is another area where paranormal events have been reported, including the capture of a shadow figure on video, extreme temperature fluctuations, and the recording of a male voice saying "I’m lonely" on an EVP.
Visitors and staff have reported disembodied screams, cries of pain, sadistic laughter, and whispers throughout the prison, as well as the sounds of cell door handles jiggling, furniture being dragged across floors, large objects rolling on the roof, and ghostly footsteps.
Many have witnessed sudden orbs or streaks of light, felt unseen people tapping them on the shoulder, experienced overwhelming sensations of being watched, and generally felt a sense of dread.
More Information:
Eastern State Penitentiary
2027 Fairmount Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19130
215-236-3300
Eastern State Penitentiary stands as a chilling reminder of the past, a place where hope and despair intertwined, and where the echoes of human suffering continue to resonate. Whether you are drawn to its architectural grandeur, its historical significance, or its haunted mystique, a visit to Eastern State Penitentiary is sure to be an unforgettable experience.