1,016 Comments for Eastern State Penitentiary

I think 2nd tiers were added later.

I'll repeat : I don't think anyone was executed here.

During its period of actual abandonment, (oh,say 1960's,1970's/80's)people climbed trees in back of the prison(Brown st.)to get over the wall and climb down trees inside the prison yard to get inside(they must have had a blast)Things were stolen ,such as metal,of course,but they also stole-can you believe it!-the oak doors on individual cells.Now these doors were small,with a high step to make it hard to attack the guards when exiting the cell.
The prison is bounded by 21st st. on the left,22nd st. on the right,Fairmount ave at the front (only)gate,and Brown st. in the back.

Today in the 21st century they call it " The Silent Fortress"

They made the little stickers on your licence plate here,but they didn't make the licence plate here.

more modern wing

How would you like to turn a crank that didn't do anything all day, as some prisoners did.

So beautiful

Some modern day prison concepts originated here,such as numbering inmates.In fact it was first called The Pennsylvania System.(as opposed to the "New York System" of its' day)

They had a death row here but I don't believe anybody was executed here.

Love those tower stairs and door.

They still let the grass grow

Quaint

As a radio host on the Saturday Reggae radio program here in Philadelphia would say : Massive!!

The interior walls are several feet thick.

The outer wall goes down into the ground almost as deep as it is tall.

There's only one gate.