A Little Jail Time

One of the things on my "bucket list" whilst I was in Philly this past week was to visit the East State Penitentiary which I managed to do this afternoon. 

A fascinating spot by all accounts and I used this first visit as a bit of a reconoitre as I know that I want to go back with my tripod and take some different (better) pictures than the hand held ones I managed today.

If you are a texture junkie you will think you have taken the fast track to heaven when you get here... lots of old paint and great colors on the walls.  Wire, stone and plaster - all cracked and peeling away....

Opened in 1829, the prison was iconic in it's time, each cell occupant being kept in solitary confinement with two allotments of 10 minutes each day to exercise outside and the remainder of their day left for "contemplation".
The prison was active until 1970 when the last of the imates were sent to more modern facilities.

One of the most noteable criminals housed in the prison was Al' (Scarface) Capone, arrested for carrying a concealed, deadly weapon.
This was Capone’s first prison sentence. His time in Eastern State was spent in relative luxury. His cell on the Park Avenue Block had fine furniture, oriental rugs, and a cabinet radio.

When the prison was viable there was heating and some modicum of plumbing and "flushing" facilities.  Today however that is all decommissioned and the place is stone cold freezing!  The website admonishes visitors to wrap up warm during winter months and is well worth taking to heart!

A chilly but very very interesting place to visit indeed!

Comments

[Chris]

Oh wow. This is just the sort of place I'd love to visit. Sometimes texture like this appears in my dreams.... in long corridors...

[karen burns]

Oh, My, God ~ I love decay ~ I love your images. These are fabulous!! I am going on a photo shoot in February to Alcatraz and I can only dream that I might see something as wonderful as what I see in your images. I believe that Capone was a resident at Alcatraz, too, and it will surely be very cold there also.

So glad you shared these~

~K

[Marcie]

WOW..amazing! You've made even 'jail' look appealing and magical. Best wishes to you and yours in this up and coming new year!!

[gotham girl aka Robin]

Isn't that the most incredible place! I went for the first time with a group of photographers and I was the only one without of tripod. But I really did come away with some great captures that I was very proud of! And you did as well! Oh how I want to return now that I spent a number of hours that day just rambling around and have a better understanding of how I'd spend my time...with tripod this next time too! And just think...only a Bolt bus trip away!! Happy New Year!

[Bren]

Spectacular textures, you did a great job on these 'hand' held shots. Got to say all that texture has me yearning to be able to incorporate it into my abstracts. Fascinating post.

[Joanne Thieme Huffman]

Ow! What a great place to take pictures! I never heard of it before.