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| Sing Sing aims to join the ranks of America's prison museums | Sing Sing aims to join the ranks of America's prison museums |
| (7 months later) | |
| For more than 15 years, Sing Sing maximum security prison just north of New York City has been offered up as an ideal location for a museum. The latest attempt, unveiled this week, would turn the infamous – and still active – prison's old power plant into a 22,000 sq ft museum. | For more than 15 years, Sing Sing maximum security prison just north of New York City has been offered up as an ideal location for a museum. The latest attempt, unveiled this week, would turn the infamous – and still active – prison's old power plant into a 22,000 sq ft museum. |
| Proposed exhibits for the museum – separated from the prison's current 1,600-strong population – include a recreation of "Old Sparky", the electric chair that killed 614 inmates including Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, and the original cellblock, built by prisoner labor in 1825. The chair was powered by the plant that will house the future museum. | Proposed exhibits for the museum – separated from the prison's current 1,600-strong population – include a recreation of "Old Sparky", the electric chair that killed 614 inmates including Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, and the original cellblock, built by prisoner labor in 1825. The chair was powered by the plant that will house the future museum. |
| "Sing Sing is a brand name," said John Wunderlich, president of the Ossining Historical Society Museum. "You go anywhere in this country, in Europe even, everybody's heard of Sing Sing," he told the Associated Press. | "Sing Sing is a brand name," said John Wunderlich, president of the Ossining Historical Society Museum. "You go anywhere in this country, in Europe even, everybody's heard of Sing Sing," he told the Associated Press. |
| Close to a dozen prison museums are scattered around the US, though rarely in active prisons. Many are partly sustained by ghost tours, and most include gift shops offering keychains and "I did time in –" hoodies. | Close to a dozen prison museums are scattered around the US, though rarely in active prisons. Many are partly sustained by ghost tours, and most include gift shops offering keychains and "I did time in –" hoodies. |
| Alcatraz Island, San Francisco Bay area | Alcatraz Island, San Francisco Bay area |
| Also called the "Rock", Alcatraz is perhaps the most famous of the former maximum-security prisons to become a museum. The island prison operated as a federal penitentiary in San Francisco Harbor from 1934 to 1963, and was previously a military prison dating back to the US civil war. Each year, it housed around 250 convicts transferred from other prisons. Thirty-eight died while the prison was in operation, some attempting to swim to freedom in the treacherous waters surrounding the island. | Also called the "Rock", Alcatraz is perhaps the most famous of the former maximum-security prisons to become a museum. The island prison operated as a federal penitentiary in San Francisco Harbor from 1934 to 1963, and was previously a military prison dating back to the US civil war. Each year, it housed around 250 convicts transferred from other prisons. Thirty-eight died while the prison was in operation, some attempting to swim to freedom in the treacherous waters surrounding the island. |
| Alcatraz's most famous inmate, Al Capone, served time for tax evasion. The notorious Chicago bootlegger was transferred after allegedly bribing fellow prisoners and guards. | Alcatraz's most famous inmate, Al Capone, served time for tax evasion. The notorious Chicago bootlegger was transferred after allegedly bribing fellow prisoners and guards. |
| The idea of a federal penitentiary off the coast of the crime-weary was not popular when it was proposed – the San Francisco Chronicle proposed the island become the site of a "statue of peace" instead of a prison. Alcatraz Island is now a national park visited by more than a million people each year; it has its own Twitter account. Ai Weiwei will open an exhibit at the prison this fall. | The idea of a federal penitentiary off the coast of the crime-weary was not popular when it was proposed – the San Francisco Chronicle proposed the island become the site of a "statue of peace" instead of a prison. Alcatraz Island is now a national park visited by more than a million people each year; it has its own Twitter account. Ai Weiwei will open an exhibit at the prison this fall. |
| Our #FirstTweet. July 1, 2008. pic.twitter.com/zsTh2IDxY7 | Our #FirstTweet. July 1, 2008. pic.twitter.com/zsTh2IDxY7 |
| Folsom prison, California | Folsom prison, California |
| More than 3,000 inmates live at the medium security Folsom State Prison the second-oldest in California. Folsom was built in 1878 to house gold-rush era inmates. | More than 3,000 inmates live at the medium security Folsom State Prison the second-oldest in California. Folsom was built in 1878 to house gold-rush era inmates. |
| Country singer Johnny Cash's famous song about the prison, with a line about lack of sunshine, appears accurate. The stone cells had no windows, and air holes were drilled in cell doors in the 1940s to accompany each door's existing 2 x 6in slot. | Country singer Johnny Cash's famous song about the prison, with a line about lack of sunshine, appears accurate. The stone cells had no windows, and air holes were drilled in cell doors in the 1940s to accompany each door's existing 2 x 6in slot. |
| Folsom was the first prison to have electricity, and was the only equipped to carry out poison gas executions beginning in 1938. Courts later ruled the method cruel and unusual punishment. | Folsom was the first prison to have electricity, and was the only equipped to carry out poison gas executions beginning in 1938. Courts later ruled the method cruel and unusual punishment. |
| The museum is located near the prison entrance. Admission fees ($2) benefit the American Cancer Society, among other charities. The on-site gift shop offers Cash memorabilia and prints of the singer's famous prison performance. | The museum is located near the prison entrance. Admission fees ($2) benefit the American Cancer Society, among other charities. The on-site gift shop offers Cash memorabilia and prints of the singer's famous prison performance. |
| Missouri state penitentiary | Missouri state penitentiary |
| The Missouri state penitentiary's sleek website boasts, "The bloodiest 47 acres in America" and promotes ghost tours and a gift shop where one can buy a "billy club keychain" or a distressed T-shirt that reads "I did time at the Missouri state penitentiary". | The Missouri state penitentiary's sleek website boasts, "The bloodiest 47 acres in America" and promotes ghost tours and a gift shop where one can buy a "billy club keychain" or a distressed T-shirt that reads "I did time at the Missouri state penitentiary". |
| GUESS WHAT DAY IT IS ----- It Umbrella Sale Day! Stop by the Jefferson City Convention and Visitors Bureau and... http://t.co/vtfK05kZAU | |
| The prison received its first inmate in 1836 and closed in 2004. It held 5,200 inmates its peak in 1932, when it was the largest prison in America. Inmates built the prison's gas chambers, which executed 40 men. | The prison received its first inmate in 1836 and closed in 2004. It held 5,200 inmates its peak in 1932, when it was the largest prison in America. Inmates built the prison's gas chambers, which executed 40 men. |
| In 1954, a mob of primarily white inmates rampaged through the prison and set the buildings on fire after three former highway patrolmen were appointed to the state's parole board – inmates said they wouldn't get a fair hearing from the former officers, according to the museum's website. | In 1954, a mob of primarily white inmates rampaged through the prison and set the buildings on fire after three former highway patrolmen were appointed to the state's parole board – inmates said they wouldn't get a fair hearing from the former officers, according to the museum's website. |
| The prison also housed two famous activists. Katie O'Hare was prosecuted under the Espionage Act after serving as the chairwoman of the Socialist Labor party, and imprisoned in 1919. She later advocated for prison reform. Emma Goldman was prosecuted on several charges including inciting riots and advocating for birth control and was released the same year. | The prison also housed two famous activists. Katie O'Hare was prosecuted under the Espionage Act after serving as the chairwoman of the Socialist Labor party, and imprisoned in 1919. She later advocated for prison reform. Emma Goldman was prosecuted on several charges including inciting riots and advocating for birth control and was released the same year. |
| Angola state penitentiary, Louisiana | Angola state penitentiary, Louisiana |
| Angola State Penitentiary found its location after the state of Louisiana awarded a contract to former Confederate major Samuel James, in 1869, where inmates were housed in slave quarters on former plantation land. The James family controlled the Louisiana corrections system for more than 30 years, as inmates worked on a Mississippi River levee to prevent the prison from flooding. | Angola State Penitentiary found its location after the state of Louisiana awarded a contract to former Confederate major Samuel James, in 1869, where inmates were housed in slave quarters on former plantation land. The James family controlled the Louisiana corrections system for more than 30 years, as inmates worked on a Mississippi River levee to prevent the prison from flooding. |
| Several attempts were made to reform Angola – named for slaves' African home. Newspapers first revealed brutal working conditions near the end of the James lease, in the 1890s. Extreme working conditions resurfaced in 1954 when inmates cut their Achilles tendons in protest. | Several attempts were made to reform Angola – named for slaves' African home. Newspapers first revealed brutal working conditions near the end of the James lease, in the 1890s. Extreme working conditions resurfaced in 1954 when inmates cut their Achilles tendons in protest. |
| One of the prison's oldest guard towers and a cell were recently donated to the Smithsonian for an exhibit on the Reconstruction to the Civil Rights eras. The Angola Museum was established in 1998. The prison houses around 6,200 inmates. | One of the prison's oldest guard towers and a cell were recently donated to the Smithsonian for an exhibit on the Reconstruction to the Civil Rights eras. The Angola Museum was established in 1998. The prison houses around 6,200 inmates. |
| Visitors can also golf nine holes at the Prison View Golf Course operated by the Louisiana State Penitentiary Employee Recreation Committee, or attend the Angola Prison Rodeo. | Visitors can also golf nine holes at the Prison View Golf Course operated by the Louisiana State Penitentiary Employee Recreation Committee, or attend the Angola Prison Rodeo. |
| Ohio State Reformatory | Ohio State Reformatory |
| Housing men, women and children, the site of the Ohio State Reformatory in Mansfield has been a jail site since 1815, though the foundations for buildings now the scene of ghost tours were laid in 1886. | Housing men, women and children, the site of the Ohio State Reformatory in Mansfield has been a jail site since 1815, though the foundations for buildings now the scene of ghost tours were laid in 1886. |
| Inmates were lashed until the 1840s, when the disciplinary practice stopped due to public outcry. Electrocution, a dunking tub, days of standing handcuffed in a room and hanging inmates by their wrists took its place. | Inmates were lashed until the 1840s, when the disciplinary practice stopped due to public outcry. Electrocution, a dunking tub, days of standing handcuffed in a room and hanging inmates by their wrists took its place. |
| Executioners were active in Ohio. Public gallows hung until 1885. The rope and electric chair in the building's annex killed 343 men, women and children. On Easter Monday in 1930, the worst prison fire in history killed 322 inmates in the overcrowded jail. | Executioners were active in Ohio. Public gallows hung until 1885. The rope and electric chair in the building's annex killed 343 men, women and children. On Easter Monday in 1930, the worst prison fire in history killed 322 inmates in the overcrowded jail. |
| Visitors could tour the women's prison as early as 1890s for an additional dime on top the 25 cent cost to tour the prison. | Visitors could tour the women's prison as early as 1890s for an additional dime on top the 25 cent cost to tour the prison. |
| It was closed in 1984, and 10 years later served as the set of the The Shawshank Redemption. | It was closed in 1984, and 10 years later served as the set of the The Shawshank Redemption. |
| Currently, the museum offers ghost tours and "event rentals" – yes, that includes weddings – in what was formerly the warden's dining room. At Halloween, the prison is given over to a "haunted prison experience." The gift shop offers Shawshank T-shirts for $15. | Currently, the museum offers ghost tours and "event rentals" – yes, that includes weddings – in what was formerly the warden's dining room. At Halloween, the prison is given over to a "haunted prison experience." The gift shop offers Shawshank T-shirts for $15. |