Prison Town, USA
I Owe You One
Fine. My last post was a shameless, self-serving post about my nephew’s graduation in order to avoid getting him a present. Therefore, I owe you a proper follow up post…not one riddled with nepotism. Fortunately, on the same trip, I found the perfect make up post. I give you the town of Cañon City, Colorado. In the unlikely event that you have heard of Cañon City, it’s probably because it’s the municipality closest to the Royal Gorge Bridge and Park (which I highly recommend btw). But, what you do not know…and for reasons unclear to me, Cañon City is Prison Town, USA. In or near this small town, there are 11 major prisons, including 7 state facilities and 4 federal. Everywhere you look, there is another prison. Carol and I could not visit them all. So, we focused on the oldest facility. We paid a visit to the Colorado Territorial Correction Facility, opened in 1871.
Colorado Territorial Correctional Facility…and a museum
Naturally, the first move you make when visiting an active prison is to drive around the facility to case it and take lots of pictures. Almost on cue, my Debbie-downer wife had to point out that driving around a prison taking pictures could be considered highly suspicious activity…
The facility was an interesting blend of modern technology and 150 year old structure. As I stopped at the visitor’s gate wondering if I was allowed to visit, two things occurred. One, I read the sign stating that visitors were subject to searches by “a person of the same sex.” I just wasn’t prepared to be groped by some big male prison guard. Secondly, if a guard asks you…”May I help you with something sir?”…it tends to destroy your courage. Thankfully, I was ready for this potential interrogation. So, I quickly answered…”yes, would you please direct me to the prison museum?” Thankfully, attached to the northeast wall of the prison is the more visitor friendly Museum of Colorado Prisons.
Museum of Colorado Prisons
At some point in time, the museum used to be the women’s correctional facility. But, when they built a new women’s prison, they turned the old one into a museum. It actually works really well. The former prison provides the best atmosphere for a prison museum. As you walk down the main hallway, you pass each individual prison cell. Each cell is dedicated to a different aspect of prison life.
It would not be practical to regurgitate all the cool info and artifacts. So, I will just go with the dark and morbid pictures that were my favorites. That is, the reasons why prisons are truly a nightmare. For example, until the early 1950’s, flogging was a common method of punishment. Naturally, even flogging has proper procedures. That is where the Old Gray Mare comes in. If you are bent over the Old Gray Mare, it was not going to be a good day.
And, if the Old Gray Mare was not enough, a few weeks in solitary confinement may do the trick. The regular cells were no picnic. But, solitary confinement was a whole different level. And what prison history post would be complete without mentioning past capital punishment. These prisons did not just hold prisoners. Capital punishment was also a core competency of some prisons. And, until 1988, the preferred method was the gas chamber.
Remember…it’s Prison Town
Remember, as I said, there are 11 major prisons in Cañon City. In the museum, they make sure to tell you where the worst of the worst get to go. A mere 12 miles down the road, you will find the Administrative Maximum Security Facility (ADX Supermax). Or, as the locals call it, it’s the Alcatraz of the Rockies. Carol would not let me approach the ADX SuperMax, so I sent the PT Drone…
While I am sure the prison is interesting, it’s the residents that make it famous. This is the who’s who of notorious federal felons. How about the Boston Marathon bomber, the Oklahoma City bomber, the Airplane Underwear bomber, the Olympic Park bomber, and El Chapo…merely a murderous drug lord with movies made about him. Anyway, here is a mug shot sampler of some of them from the museum.
Wrap It Up
I better wrap it up. Particularly because there is still a must read p.s. at the bottom. In summation, that was our trip to Cañon City, Colorado…Prison Town USA. Before you start thinking that I drag Carol to all the worst places…remember she got to go to the Royal Gorge Bridge before I took her to prison. That seems like a good deal to me. Have a wonderful day. PT
I hope you have enjoyed reading “Prison Town, USA” on Traveling with PugsleyTonks.
This is not my first prison visit… https://travelingwithpt.com/return-to-shawshank/
If you wish to visit this nice museum, here you go https://prisonmuseum.org/
P.S. Prison Art
To answer the CHALLENGE, here is what you are looking at…Some official at the correctional facility decided to make art. So, they gathered all the weapons that had been confiscated from the prisoners by the guards. Then, they had prisoners encase the weapons in this circular table top. Yes, it’s the top of the coffee table that was in the Warden’s office. Finally, be sure to note the yellow dots. Those are the special pokers. Those weapons were actually involved in successful prison murders. Art is in the eye of the beholder.
