Looking for a great place to go to get in the mood for Halloween? One haunted place I love is Philadelphia's Eastern State Penitentiary, that was first opened in 1829. Although other prisons in the area preceded this one like the Walnut Street Jail, Eastern State had a different goal in terms of punishment. People thought that by confining prisoners in solitude and making them work, it would change their behavior and encourage them to repent for their crimes. Some may have found a higher spiritual meaning of life through the valuted ceilings and skylights in the cellblocks, while others may have just gone insane.
Ever wonder where the word penitentiary came from? The goal of this type of prison was to make the prisoners penitent and regretful for their crimes, hence the name. This theory was nicknamed the Pennsylvania System, largely due to it's practice in the state. Throughout it's use, Eastern State housed some famous prisoners like Al Capone, whose lavishly furnished cell is on display, and is the site where he was supposedly haunted by the ghost of one of the victims from the St. Valentine's Day massacre. The prison also had an inmate that wasn't actually human... yes, Pep the Dog was sentenced to a life sentence for murdering a cat.
Various riots, fires, and a partially successful escape went on before the prison was officially closed in 1970. Most of the inmates were moved to Graterford (where I volunteered to teach inmates last year!). Now the prison remains intact, right in the city of Philadelphia, reminding us of a gothic-style castle with the high walls and turrets. It is a national landmark and is open for tours during the year. I wouldn't necessarily recommend the audio tour unless you're a huge fan of Steve Buscemi, who narrates the tape. You may also recognize the prison for it's use as a setting for various movies. 12 Monkeys along with Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen were both filmed here.
But... on Halloween, things get a little hairy. The prison hosts numerous haunted houses, located right in the cellblocks of the prison. Complete with scary volunteers and an eerie location, you're sure to have a great time if you love haunted house type things. Or you can go to learn a bit more about penology and corrections. It really is a creepy, yet cool place.
Have any other favorite Halloween-themed tourist spots? Please share!!
Happy Haunting!!
Stephanie, WWT
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