OLD IDAHO PENITENTIARY

I may have spent more time on the interstate on this trip than others, but still not a lot. After bumpy dusty roads, some nice smooth pavement and 80 mph speed limits are nice.
The ordeal with the Jeep on Saturday meant that I did not make it to one of my intended visits.
Since the drive from Rocky Bar to where I would spend the night went back through Boise and I had the time, I got to get there.
It's the Old Idaho Penitentiary. I had been to the old Wyoming Penitentiary on an earlier trip, so why not this one?
The Warden's Office, actual warden not included.
Say cheese!
The Armory, where weapons for the tower guards were stored and checked out.
The turnkey guard's office. The turnkey guard admitted visitors and confirmed the coming and going of all inmates and guards into the main yard. I don't think having the standing cutouts of the guards was a great idea. They all look about five foot nothing.
This is referred to on the map as the "New" Cell House. It was built in 1890 and is only "new" because the Territorial Prison building to be seen later was constructed twenty years earlier.
It is located right next to the Rose Garden. It used to be a much darker place as it was where six hangings took place.
The Dining Hall (1898). It was designed by inmate George Hamilton. He was given early parole for his efforts, but committed suicide the day after his release.
It was destroyed in a riot that occurred in 1973.
The Ice House behind the back.
Here is that Territorial Prison (1870).
It was converted into a chapel in the 1930's and was also destroyed in that 1973 riot.
The map says that this was the Commissary (1894) but there is a sign on the building says "Captain's Shack". I don't know what that means because I didn't take a photo of the sign for some reason.
The Trusty Dorm (1894)  on the left was originally used as a carpenter shop but later housed "trusty" inmates and eventually became a library. The Barber Shop attached to the right was built in 1902.
The Trusty Dorm now has information about prison life, the history of the penitentiary, etc.
The hospital building got it worse than the other buildings during a 1971 riot as there is nothing left of it.
This structure was where inmates were held in solitary confinement. The larger section, known as Siberia, was built in 1926. I guess they needed more room for the baddies.
This is not a place where I would want to be kept in the heat of the summer or the cold Idaho winter. But at least there was time alone with your thoughts, thoughts like how you want to kill other inmates or guards.
The older part was called The Cooler (1923), kind of like where Colonel Hogan and his pals would be sent on Hogan's Heroes.
The cells are very small and apparently they held up to five men in each, which isn't exactly solitary.
The Guard Station at the 2 Yard Gate. The gate led to Outlaw Field (baseball and football field), education and vocation buildings.
The Shirt Factory (1923). By 1924, 170 of the 279 inmates were working in the shirt factory.
When the shirt factory was closed in 1933 due to interstate commerce laws, this area became a recreation hall, hobby shop and eventually the license plate factory, known as the "tag plant". On a more gruesome point, days after a riot in 1971, the body of inmate Bill Butler was discovered rolled up in a gym mat in the recreation area, having been bludgeoned and stabbed multiple times by three inmates. Geez, what the hell did he do to piss them off? Maybe he was a stoolie.
There was an expansion of the building in 1943 to include a laundry. Inmates did the laundry for Gowen Field and Mountain Home Air Force Base.
The entrance to the laundry.
I don't know much about old laundry equipment, but it look like these drums might be where the clothes were washed.
No Loafing No Sitting on Mangle Tables I don't know what a mangle table is, but it doesn't sound like something I would want to sit on anyway.
The showers.

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