This was a model prison in its day, with a central hub and hallways extending from it like the spokes of a wheel. Its design was considered innovative, in that it enabled the prison to operate with smaller numbers of guards as the inmates could be observed from the central tower. This design was copied by other prisons, including Carbon County Jail in Jim Thorpe, PA. It was built with the Quaker view of prisons in mind; that is, criminals could be rehabilitated through solitary confinement and hard labour. Each cell had its own lavatory and exercise area. The prisoners were kept in complete solitude and allowed one hour of exercise per day. Each ceiling had a slit to let in daylight. No reading material other than the Bible was permitted.. There was no communication between the prisoners or between the guards and the prisoners. if a prisoner was to leave his cell, he had to wear a hood over his head. The prison has held some notorious characters, such as Al Capone and Willie Sutton. The prison was finally closed in 1970, in very bad shape.
This location is one of the few places where every time I have been there, something unexplained has happened - day or night. One night time investigation yielded 14 separate EVP's that occurred during a one hour vigil in Cell Block 12. We even got one rare voice recording that we heard and recorded at the same time.
I have seen shadows, heard voices from empty cells,and have been physically touched. The most active areas for paranormal activity in our experience are Cell Block 12, Death Row Cells, and the Hole.
Visitor Center Hours:
Every day 10 am to 5 pm
Guided Tour Times:
Weekdays: 10 am, 12 pm, 2 pm, 3 pm, and 4 pm
Weekends: every hour 10 am to 4 pm
Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day.
Address
2027 Fairmount Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19130
Phone : (215) 236-3300
Adults: $12
Seniors: $10
Students & Kids: $8
Not recommended for children under the age of 7.
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