This weekend I visited Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia, whose "hub and spoke" floor plan inspired the design of hundreds of other prisons around the world in the 1800's. America’s most historic prison stands in ruin today, but its cells once housed kind neighborhood friends such as Al Capone.
First opened in 1829, Eastern State was the world’s first “penitentiary,” intended to evoke regret in the hearts of prisoners through solitary confinement. Although rules were very strict, every prisoner had their own centrally heated cell with running water and a private exercise yard. People from around the world travelled to Philadelphia to study the prison, and the penitentiary soon became a tourist attraction.
Solitary confinement was officially abandoned in the early 20th century, being deemed too cruel. In 1924 however, Pennsylvania governor Gifford Pinchot allegedly sentenced a dog “Pep” for life for killing his wife’s cat. By the 1960’s, the aging facility was in need of significant repairs, and was eventually closed in 1970.
Taking photos inside the prison offered cool opportunities to play with shadow. The tall, vaulted ceilings of cell blocks resembled a church, and the skylights of individual cells allowed just the right amount of light in to create a very eerie atmosphere. My visit was very brief and I only had my smartphone camera, but I definitely plan on returning specifically to take photos.