Eastern State Penitentiary
Description
Haunted Reputation Rank: 2 of 5
Listing Name: Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site
Category: Prison, Historic Site
Difficulty Level: Extremely Haunted Reputation
Country: United States
City: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Address: 2027 Fairmount Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19130, United States
Map Search: Eastern State Penitentiary, 2027 Fairmount Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19130
Short Description
Eastern State Penitentiary is a massive Gothic prison complex famous for solitary confinement, harsh discipline, deteriorating cellblocks, and reports of shadow figures, voices, footsteps, crying, and unexplained sensations. It is one of the most widely recognized haunted prisons in the United States.
History
Eastern State admitted its first prisoner in 1829. It was designed around the Pennsylvania System, which attempted to produce penitence through isolation, silence, labor, and reflection. Architect John Haviland designed the prison using a radial layout, with cellblocks extending from a central observation hub.
The institution became internationally influential, and prisons around the world copied its design. Its cells once held nearly 85,000 people over the course of its operating history, including Al Capone and bank robber Willie Sutton. Although originally intended for approximately 250 inmates, the population eventually reached about 1,700. Eastern State closed in 1970 and later reopened as a preserved historic site.
Important Information
Reported experiences include shadow figures moving through cellblocks, disembodied voices, whispering, laughter, crying, footsteps, unexplained touches, and sudden cold sensations. Stories of unusual visions and eerie experiences have circulated among officers, prisoners, visitors, and media productions for decades.
The historic site acknowledges that many people believe the prison is haunted and notes that mysterious visions and experiences were being reported by officers and prisoners as early as the 1940s.
Areas frequently associated with reports include Cellblock 12, the former hospital areas, solitary cells, and the prison’s long abandoned corridors.
Why Mystera Ranks It Number Two
Eastern State’s severe isolation practices, enormous inmate population, deteriorating Gothic environment, and decades of repeated paranormal reports have created one of the strongest haunted reputations in the United States.
Additional Info
Eastern State is open as a historic museum. However, the property currently states that paranormal investigations and the use of EVP recorders or other paranormal equipment are not permitted. Visitors must follow the site’s historical-tour rules.
Location
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