Historic Eastern State Penitentiary

Having once been our nation’s capital, Philadelphia has plenty of attractions to educate and entertain tourists and locals alike. From the Liberty Bell to the National Constitution Center to the Betsy Ross House, historical sites abound in the City of Brotherly Love.

There is, however, an often overlooked historic landmark in Philadelphia that is truly unique to the city and, in my opinion, stands as the quintessential visitor’s destination: Eastern State Penitentiary, or E.S.P.

Sprawling across 11 acres, the penitentiary’s intimidating façade resembles a medieval castle, complete with foreboding turrets and a 30’-high exterior wall, which encloses the prison grounds. To say the structure is impressive greatly understates its awe-inspiring physical presence. Since, unlike Europe, America isn’t really known for its abundance of castles, Eastern State Penitentiary immediately stands out as an architectural masterpiece. The fact that this masterpiece also happens to be in the middle of a modern, bustling city, however, creates an absolutely surreal atmosphere.

Today, the prison is open to the public from the beginning of April to the end of November, hosting live tours, audio tours, art installations, members-only events, and, of course, the infamous (and excellent) Terror Behind the Walls haunted house at Halloween. While the frightening and startling haunted house seems apropos for a creepy deteriorating prison, Eastern State Penitentiary also hosts other events for the public’s enjoyment throughout the season, such as performances of Poe’s Tell Tale Heart and Beethoven’s only opera, Fidelio. In the twenty-first century, E.S.P. stands as a landmark of historical, cultural, educational, and even entertaining significance. But how did the massive castle wind up in the middle of a major metropolitan city?

Designed by English architect John Haviland, Eastern State Penitentiary began being built in 1821 on farmlands just outside of Philadelphia (the city did not yet reach that far). Its radial design, which resembles the spokes on a wheel, was revolutionary at the time and has since been copied for various types of buildings all around the world. With this design, a guard could stand at the center of the building, in the rotunda, and peer down each corridor, having a perfect view of each cellblock and whatever might be happening there. The oppressive-looking exterior serves as a complete opposite to the interior, which features vaulted, church-like ceilings and skylights. Seemingly paradoxical, there was, so to speak, a method behind the madness.

Back in the late eighteenth century, America did not have prisons like it does today. Local jails, overcrowded and often violent, consisted of placing all guilty or allegedly guilty parties – men, women, and children – together in one large holding cell. Guards overtly abused prisoners, and all those contained in the cell were left to their own devices as the guards looked the other way.

Several prominent Philadelphians, including Benjamin Franklin, believed that many changes needed to be instituted, changes that would actually allow prisoners to be reformed. They held the standard practices of enduring public punishment and ridicule in the stocks, or being thrown into a local jail to consort with the usual band of mischief-makers, simply unacceptable. And so they formed The Philadelphia Society for Alleviating the Miseries of Public Prisons, making Philadelphia the epicenter of prison reform.

Although it would take a few decades to convince the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania of its radical idea, the Society finally saw its plans come to fruition, and E.S.P. opened its doors on October 23, 1829. Yet, the Pennsylvania System (as it would come to be called) was still unlike the prisons we know today.

Based partly in Quaker beliefs, the Society’s concept for reform centered on making the prisoner truly remorseful for that which he had done through solitude and hard work. Each cell contained only one prisoner and served as the sole place within the Eastern State complex that the inmate would spend the duration of his sentence. Allowed no contact with other prisoners and limited contact with the guards, each inmate slept, worked, and ate in his cell. For thirty minutes each day, he spent time in the cell’s attached exercise yard, surrounded by 10’-high walls; though the guards systematically chose the appropriate exercise times, so that two prisoners housed close together would not be outside at the same time. No talking or singing was permitted within the cell, and even the guards wore covers on their shoes in order to mute their footsteps. The prisoner remained by himself in the overwhelming silence, with only the Bible to read, in hopes that he would see the error of his ways and become penitent; hence, the word penitentiary.

While this sounds like possibly even harsher treatment than that at the local jails, the reform was well intentioned, albeit quite strict. Guards were forbidden to physically abuse the prisoners, and the solitude merely existed as a means to produce reflection and repentance. Many traveled to Philadelphia to see Eastern State Penitentiary, as it became a tourist attraction even in its own day. Some praised the system as a brilliant response to criminal activity. Some found the constant solitary confinement cruel and excessive, including Charles Dickens. But whether in agreement or disagreement concerning the operational aspects, all were captivated by Philadelphia’s world-renowned penitentiary that stood as an architectural and engineering marvel.

In the 1820s, obviously not having the modern conveniences that so many of us take for granted, keeping someone in one room for years was a considerable feat. Haviland had to find solutions to several daunting problems, which had never really been addressed before. Eastern State Penitentiary was the first place to house a central heating system, so that the cells could be warmed during the cold winter months (though the stone walls still locked in quite a chill). Even more impressive, each cell included a flushing toilet at a time when even the White House did not have running water. The ominous castle peering down on the city actually contained within its walls a serene approach and all the newest conveniences.

The Pennsylvania System, created and maintained for many years by E.S.P., slowly began to dissolve over the years, due to overcrowding and the sheer inability to maintain total isolation for each prisoner. Pennsylvania’s rival prison system, known as the New York System (so dubbed because of the operations at Sing Sing prison in New York), eventually triumphed and became the type of correctional method that America still uses today. Badly in need of costly repairs and upgrades to the electrical and mechanical wiring and functionality, Eastern State Penitentiary finally closed its doors in January 1970.

After years of battling over the land, and nearly razing the penitentiary in the ‘80s to build a commercial space, the city of Philadelphia finally recognized the historic significance of this influential building. And although abandoned for decades and left to crumble into nonexistence, work to preserve Eastern State Penitentiary has been diligently occurring for the past 15 years. If you’re in the Philadelphia area, take a few hours to stroll through the prison and learn more. It is truly a remarkable piece of American history.

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Note: For more information about E.S.P., visit their web site at https://www.easternstate.org. If you are so inclined, you can also read a short story that I've written, "Night's Solace" , which was inspired by the prison's unique history.