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Haunted Places
EASTERN STATE PENITENTIARY
A BRIEF HISTORY
In the 1770s, an, Englishman, John Howard became aware of and was scandalized by the abusive
and degrading conditions in his country's jails and prisons. Between 1773 and 1790, he visited
various penal institutions in England and Europe and wrote careful accounts of their construction
and administration that were widely read and influential. He called for, among other things, the
separation of all inmates at night;
and, during the day, the separation of men from women and serious felons from petty criminals; the
introduction of sick wards and infirmaries; the prohibition of alcohol; and the institution of rules
governing cleanliness and conduct. His work was a direct influence on the Philadelphia Society for
Alleviating the Miseries of Public Prisons which was formed in1787. The Society petitioned the
legislature for changes in laws and changes in treatment of offenders that eventually led to the first
penitentiary at Walnut Street Jail, Philadelphia. The ideas inspiring humanitarian reforms were in
accord with Quaker theology, which held that "the light of God" resided within everyone. Many
Quakers were influential in the reform movement; almost half of the Society members were Friends.
2
Eastern State Penitentiary embodied Quaker ideas about the nature of man and the redemptive
powers of solitary reflection and penitence. Members of non-conformist sects had long opposed
capital punishment and had, since the colonial era, championed imprisonment as an alternative. In
1821, after many years of lobbying from the Philadelphia Society for Alleviating the Miseries of Public
Prisons, founded by Dr. Benjamin Rush, the Pennsylvania Legislature approved funding to build
Eastern State Penitentiary. The new prison was approved to confine two-hundred fifty inmates and
with a cost $780,000. 3
The philosophy guiding the intent of Eastern State Penitentiary presented many challenges for the
architects. Unlike earlier, unsuccessful attempts at maintaining solitary confinement, the building
design would have to prevent communication between inmates in order to prevent the transmission
of moral contagion. Unlike Auburn, the cells would have to accommodate both the prisoner and
provisions for his or her work equipment. Since the prisoners were to remain in their cells for the
whole of their terms, each cell had to be equipped with water, rudimentary plumbing, and heat.
Prevailing theory held that prisons needed adequate ventilation to prevent "gaol fever," which had
plagued earlier institutions. And the planners wanted an imposing building that would inspire fear
and respect among the citizenry. Upon completion, Eastern State Penitentiary was the largest
building in America and possibly the most expensive
A BRIEF HISTORY
In the 1770s, an, Englishman, John Howard became aware of and was scandalized by the abusive
and degrading conditions in his country's jails and prisons. Between 1773 and 1790, he visited
various penal institutions in England and Europe and wrote careful accounts of their construction
and administration that were widely read and influential. He called for, among other things, the
separation of all inmates at night;
and, during the day, the separation of men from women and serious felons from petty criminals; the
introduction of sick wards and infirmaries; the prohibition of alcohol; and the institution of rules
governing cleanliness and conduct. His work was a direct influence on the Philadelphia Society for
Alleviating the Miseries of Public Prisons which was formed in1787. The Society petitioned the
legislature for changes in laws and changes in treatment of offenders that eventually led to the first
penitentiary at Walnut Street Jail, Philadelphia. The ideas inspiring humanitarian reforms were in
accord with Quaker theology, which held that "the light of God" resided within everyone. Many
Quakers were influential in the reform movement; almost half of the Society members were Friends.
2
Eastern State Penitentiary embodied Quaker ideas about the nature of man and the redemptive
powers of solitary reflection and penitence. Members of non-conformist sects had long opposed
capital punishment and had, since the colonial era, championed imprisonment as an alternative. In
1821, after many years of lobbying from the Philadelphia Society for Alleviating the Miseries of Public
Prisons, founded by Dr. Benjamin Rush, the Pennsylvania Legislature approved funding to build
Eastern State Penitentiary. The new prison was approved to confine two-hundred fifty inmates and
with a cost $780,000. 3
The philosophy guiding the intent of Eastern State Penitentiary presented many challenges for the
architects. Unlike earlier, unsuccessful attempts at maintaining solitary confinement, the building
design would have to prevent communication between inmates in order to prevent the transmission
of moral contagion. Unlike Auburn, the cells would have to accommodate both the prisoner and
provisions for his or her work equipment. Since the prisoners were to remain in their cells for the
whole of their terms, each cell had to be equipped with water, rudimentary plumbing, and heat.
Prevailing theory held that prisons needed adequate ventilation to prevent "gaol fever," which had
plagued earlier institutions. And the planners wanted an imposing building that would inspire fear
and respect among the citizenry. Upon completion, Eastern State Penitentiary was the largest
building in America and possibly the most expensive