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Iowa State Penitentiary – Fort Madison, Iowa

By Travel Writer 4 Comments
Iowa State Penitentiary Ft Madison Prison.jpg- Fort Madison, Iowa
 
The Prison is a place to look at but you certainly don’t want to be a resident! The penitentiary was built in 1839 this is a maximum secutiry prison.

Iowa State Penitentiary is the oldest prison west of the Mississippi. The original cell block is still in use today and several cell houses are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Nearly 900 inmates are housed at the Iowa State Penitentiary.

Prison Industries is the work arm of the Iowa Department of Corrections where they manufacture products, do farming and private sector work programs.  These programs are self funded which means they get no state assistance.  Since 1996 the programs have returned over $10 million in revenue to the General fund for education, taxes, family support and room and board.

 
Fort Madison concentrates its work on wood funiture of all types and textiles.  There are a wide range of products produced at the Fort from tables & desks to seating and school funishings to name just a few.  If you are interested in learning more about what they have to offer you can contact them at:
Ft. Madison Division
PO Box 316, Avenue E & 1st Street
Ft. Madison, IA 52627
In Iowa: 800-382-0019
Phone: 319-372-5432
 
This huge prison dominates the land on the north side of Fort Madison with it’s guard towers, thick stone construction, vintage architectual design and imposing apprearance.

Address: 31 Avenue G, PO Box 316, Ft. Madison, Iowa 52627

Iowa State Penitentiary
(Visits may not begin after 2:30 p.m.)
Monday 8:30 am-4:00 pm
Thursday 8:30 am-4:00 pm
Friday 8:30 am-4:00 pm
Saturday 8:30 am-4:00 pm
Sunday 8:30 am-4:00 pm  

 

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Comments

  1. joyce donaldson says:
    January 8, 2010 at 12:52 pm

    I think you should turn the old prison into a tour place when the new one is built it will help pay for the new one in the long run I would pay to take a tour of it after it is closed and the new one is built. I know of others who would also pay to take tours of it

  2. Miranda Webster says:
    February 17, 2010 at 5:18 pm

    THAT is a BRILLIANT idea joyce Donaldson! put the new one out on the farm land or something.
    Wht a cool idea! My HUGe family would go, adn bring people to it in the future as well.
    another attraction to fort madison…
    brilliant!

  3. Roseann Tulliani says:
    April 17, 2010 at 1:33 pm

    I agree that would make a great place to tour I have been in there one time to visit an inmate and found it to be scary.

  4. Melissa Schneider says:
    April 27, 2010 at 9:12 pm

    I also think what Joyce was saying about giving tours of the old historic prison, would be a great idea. And to use the money to put back into the community, very good idea. I would love to take a tour of the prison and also know people that would also love to take tours. Also you would have people who would travel, to see the prison tours. I ‘m very excited that they are building a new facility for the prisoner’s because after those inmates got loose I think everyone got very nervous, luckily they were caught a short time later.

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