The Eastern State Penitentiary in Pennsylvania is considered by many to be the most haunted prison in the United States today.
The prison opened it's doors in 1829 and was originally intended to house 250 prisoners but held nearly 1700 in the early 1900's.It was designed to house all the prisoners in a state of solitary confinement, with the cells made of concrete and having one window in the ceiling.
Each cell had its own private outside yard with very high walls so the prisoners could not communicate with one another. They were let out for one hour a day.
Prisoners were wrapped in a hood before leaving their cell so they could not see other inmates or become familiar with their surroundings.
If a prisoner was caught attempting to communicate with other prisoners the punishment was said to be severe and sometimes barbaric.
In 1913 the prison changed its system of solitary confinement to one
where prisoners were allowed to see one another in common areas.
It remained that way until the prison closed in 1971.
The prison had some well known inmates over the years including Al
Capone who was incarcerated here for 8 months in 1929.
Employees and visitors have reported all kinds of paranormal activity here including voices and laughter coming from the cells. Also ghostly figures are said to be seen in the cells and on the catwalk.
Many paranormal investigations are done here every year and the prison
has been the focus of several TV shows based on the hauntings.
The prison is open for tours everyday from 9:00am with last entry at 4:00pm.
In the summer last entry is 7:00pm. The cost per person is $12.
Private tours can be scheduled for groups of 15 or more.
Please visit their website below including their site rental page for more
tour options.
The information and prices here are listed to give you a general idea of availabilty
and cost and were current at the time of this writing. This information is
subject to change. Please use the contact information below and call or visit
their website before planning a trip to make sure you have the most current
information.
Location:
22nd Street and Fairmount Avenue Philadelphia,Pennsylvania
