Eastern State Penitentiary
The crumbling gothic prison that once held Al Capone is now one of America's most visited haunted attractions, where the ghosts of former inmates allegedly remain in their cells.
Eastern State Penitentiary
Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia was once the most famous and expensive prison in the world. Its revolutionary system of solitary confinement was designed to inspire penitence but may have inspired madness instead. Today, the crumbling gothic ruins attract visitors seeking both history and hauntings. According to countless reports, the prison’s former inmates have never been released.
The Prison
Eastern State opened in 1829, designed by architect John Haviland in a spoke-wheel pattern. The penitentiary pioneered the “Pennsylvania System” of complete solitary confinement. Each prisoner lived alone in a cell with a small exercise yard, seeing no other inmates and speaking to no one.
The reality was often psychotic breakdown. Prisoners in extended solitary confinement frequently developed severe mental illness. Famous inmates included bank robber Willie Sutton and Al Capone.
The prison closed in 1971, and for decades sat abandoned, deteriorating into gothic ruin. In 1994, it reopened as a historic site.
The Haunting
Reports of paranormal activity began while the prison was still operational. Guards reported shadowy figures, cackling laughter from empty cells, and footsteps in abandoned cellblocks.
Cellblock 12 is considered one of the most active areas. Visitors report cackling laughter, shadowy figures darting between cells, and sudden temperature drops. In Death Row’s Cell 14, visitors report seeing a dark figure and experiencing overwhelming dread.
Al Capone reportedly heard the ghost of Jimmy Clark, a St. Valentine’s Day Massacre victim, during his incarceration. His cell remains one of the most visited in the prison.
Assessment
Eastern State has been investigated by numerous paranormal research groups and featured on television. The prison also hosts an annual Halloween event drawing over 100,000 visitors each October.
Whether the reported phenomena represent genuine supernatural activity or the power of suggestion, Eastern State remains one of America’s most compelling haunted locations. The prisoners were meant to achieve penitence in their isolation. Perhaps some never achieved release.