Wayside Tour #16: Federal Prison

Wayside Tour #16: F"The Big House"

The United States Penitentiary is the oldest federal correctional facility to continuously house inmates in the U.S. On July 1, 1895, inmates were received by the penitentiary at its original site, now the U.S. Disciplinary Barracks at Fort Leavenworth. Beginning in March 1897, inmates marched 7 miles round trip daily to the site of the present institution to construct this facility. Construction continued until February 1903, when the first 418 inmates were incarcerated here. The prison is a self-contained unit with a 35 foot wall that extends 30 feet underground encircling 16 acres.

Outside the walls were a sawmill, a rock quarry and a brick plant that supplied all necessary building materials. The prison operated a farm that included hogs, cows, some crops and pastureland. An additional 942 acres were purchased across the Missouri River in 1923. The clearing of this land provided wood for the ovens in the bakery and kitchen. By 1935, the wood supply was depleted requiring a new set of gas ovens.

Inside the walls are a power plant, hospital, school and industries were inmates can learn a trade. These industries include a brush and broom factory, printing plant, textile factory and furniture factory where the late President John F. Kennedy's famous maple rocking chair was made.

Some of the more well-known inmates to be housed here were Robert F. Stroud, better known as the Birdman of Alcatraz, and post prohibition gangster Gaston Means, Joe Barker, Harvey Bailey, Machine Gun Kelly, Frank Nitti, George "Bugs" Moran and Nick Arnstein, who was the husband of the notorious Fannie Brice.

Educational services available to inmates are religion, high school and college courses. Talented inmates present musicals inside the prison but not for the public. Recreation events include movies and sports such as baseball, basketball and handball.

Fires, riots and killings have taken place throughout the years. As a result of a reorganization of the entire Federal Prison System in 1930, no guns are carried inside the walls. If an inmate dies and no one claims the body, it is buried in the Peckenwood Cemetery west of the penitentiary. Tours of the prison were discontinued in 1910.