328 Comments for Essex County Penitentiary

I doubt people lived in the 'pen after it closed; Caldwell NJ just doesn't have a homeless population like Newark does.

It looks like the ceiling once had stick on acoustic tiles but they have all fallen off. There isn't any debris on the files though so it must have happened earlier. Strange.

Brilliant!! Would love to see the face what belongs to the body!!

Great shot.

The administration building was originally the wardens house where he and his family lived.

What you are looking at here is the top floor of the new wing where as many as 80 to 100 inmates were housed and slept on metal cots in a dormitory style setting

@Mica Wow that's deep

Thank you, Motts. I was struck by the fact that there didn't seem to be any signs of homeless residency in there. I remember another gallery of a prison you took where you and your team actually spoke with some of the "tenants." and agreed not to disturb them. I suppose since this place was in the prep stages of being demolished that it may have been vacated/cleaned up?

Is that a scale?
If so neat scale.

Yes.
At least Derek got a Christmas card.

That´s ALL they had to sit on?
So scant, so tiny.
So most uttterly uncomforable seated for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Weird seat on that chair.

Ground-up?

Counterfeit Food stamps? 40 years ago.
Just wanted to eat too - or feed kids.........
All gone now.

Yes - a person in jail: FRANK.
Yes - a person doing his job;
Name of Expert...CARLTON DUTCHER - and he had a stamp for HIS name. Am sure he could write.
So hard/sad to ponder about fate/destiny/misfortune/
- such a dreary terrible place....