Things To Do In Philadelphia: Eastern State Penitentiary
If you’re looking for something different to do this fall in Pennsylvania, load up your family in the Toyota and take a trip to the Eastern State Penitentiary. Located at 22nd and Fairmount in the Art Museum area, this historical setting is especially interesting during the month of October.
Eastern State Penitentiary was once the standard for prison reform. It features gothic architecture, and had running water and central heat before many other buildings in the country. The experiment was designed to reform criminals through isolation, and eventually became a model for prisons all over the world. It is estimated that as many as 300 prisons in the world use the “wagon wheel” floor plan pioneered by Eastern State.
Famous criminals Willie Sutton and Al Capone both spent time at the Eastern State Pen.
Fall is a great time to visit Eastern State Penitentiary because of its amazing Halloween attraction. Terror Behind the Walls is a truly thrilling attraction, and occurs every year at the Eastern State Penitentiary. This event is one of the top 5 haunted attractions in the United States, and is in it’s 17th year. There are five separate haunted houses in the complex, spread over 11 acres. The attraction is high on startle and low on gore, and features special effects, animatronic creatures, digital sound and theatrical lighting.
If you’d rather, you can take a tour of the Penitentiary. It features a restored cell as it would have been during the 19th century, as well as cellblocks, and even death row. Eastern State Penitentiary was, at one time, the most expensive building in the United States. The penitentiary was abandoned in 1971 after it had been in use for 142 years, and is now a National Historic Landmark.
Comments