Eastern State Penitentiary

#JobAlert - Deadline to apply for three different positions for Eastern State's recently announced Night Tours: Summer Twilight is this Friday, April 2: - Seasonal General Manager - Seasonal Front of House Supervisor - Seasonal Visitor Services Staff... Plus, we're hiring Seasonal Visitor Services Staff for daytime tours, too! Learn More & How to Apply: bit.ly/2PiBehW

On This Day in 1935: The warden notes, A radio broadcast over station K.Y.E. was given from the Chapel from 7:30 to 8pm.

Mark your calendar for our next virtual installment of The Searchlight Series. Join us on Tuesday, April 6 as we explore the quality and consequences of food in America’s prisons. A new six-part report recently released by Impact Justice’s Food in Prison Project team explores inequities and troubling trends in prison food. A panel of experts, including two people who worked on the report, will discuss its findings and how COVID-19 has further shaped the dining experience in prisons today. Details & RSVP: https://fb.me/e/2foePFBNy

Happy #NationalLibraryWeek! As we celebrate our nation’s libraries and the contributions of library workers everywhere, we shouldn't forget about the history and role of libraries in prisons. Learn more about Eastern State Penitentiary's library system, dating back all the way to 1844, just fifteen years after the prison opened. Plus, consider the importance and impact of libraries in prisons today. Read more on our blog: https://bit.ly/3sYK8jr

On This Day in 1862: The warden reports, A heavy snowstorm prevailed all day and covered the ground to the depth of two or three inches after night. Thermometers at 28 and 30 degrees.

Mark your calendar! After you hit the polls on November 3, join us for a special election night edition of The Searchlight Series. Most incarcerated Americans are barred from voting. Our guests will discuss how voting works for those who can, and share what’s being done to expand the franchise to more incarcerated Americans. The discussion will take place via Zoom webinar and be live-streamed here on our Facebook page. More Info: www.facebook.com/events/375584670263008

On This Night in 1829: The Warden commences lodging in the Penitentiary this night. During the 19th and early 20th centuries the wardens lived in the front building with their families. At night, the penitentiary takes on a different energy. Experience it firsthand at #NightToursESP this fall: www.EasternState.org/NightTours... Image: Penitentiary, Philadelphia, c. 1831, by C. Burton. Hand-colored steel engraving. Image: collection of Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site.

Want to get a head start on the holidays? We have the perfect Merch of the Month offer for you! Get 10% off our radial plan ornament with code ESPXmas10 when shopping online. This discount code is only valid through November 30, so don't wait! Shop now: www.EasternState.org/shop

On This Night in 1859: Robert Hanold resigns from his position as attendant at Eastern State this evening for a conductorship on a passenger railroad. At night, the penitentiary takes on a different energy. Experience it firsthand at #NightToursESP this fall: www.EasternState.org/NightTours... Image: Façade, 1840. Image: collection of Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site. Image: collection of Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site, gift of the Pennsylvania Prison Society.

The steel doors in these photos lead into and out of Eastern State's former prisoner intake area, now used as meeting rooms and offices. They're an important piece of the building's history, so we took extra care with them during recent construction. In addition to rebuilding the stairs and adding a new ramp for ADA accessibility, the 400-pound doors were temporarily removed, restored by our friends at Materials Conservation Co., LLC, and recently reinstalled. The exterior of the doors got a fresh coat of green paint to match historic paint schemes seen on the trim of nearby windows. The inside will remain unpainted to mirror the look of other historic doors lining the hallway beyond.

On This Night in 1902: Warden Bussinger writes in his journal, "This evening Night Watchman Mulvey reported his son had attended an evening reception at the house of a friend, the next day the friend's house was quarantined on account of smallpox. Called up Mr. Gay, Visiting Inspector, ... who suggested it was best for the Watchman to remain home until Monday evening." At night, the penitentiary takes on a different energy. Experience it firsthand at #NightToursESP this fall:... www.EasternState.org/NightTours Image: Postcard showing the penitentiary’s facade with American flag flying from the center tower of the Administration Building, c. 1900. Photo: collection of Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site.

In 1929, Al Capone spent seven months incarcerated at Eastern State Penitentiary for carrying a concealed, unlicensed revolver. Today, visitors to the historic site can view a recreation of his cell. Sitting along one of the walls is a cabinet radio. What sort of music do you think Capone would have listened to with his cellmate? Archivist Erica Harman did some research and came up with a special playlist! You'll hear these songs on loop in the exhibit, but now, you can also listen at home: https://youtu.be/DXx4aLx6PXM

Programming Specialist Damon McCool briefs us on the latest in COVID-19 and how the health crisis is impacting our criminal justice system. He examines how prisons, jails, corrections staff, incarcerated people, and other stakeholders are handling the pandemic.

Locked safely away in our climate-controlled darkroom, hundreds of artifacts rest in neatly organized drawers. Every Thursday evening in October at 7:00 pm, Erica Harman, manager of archives and records, will bring a different selection of artifacts out of the darkroom and into the night. Tonight, get a look at objects that tell the story of power and control at Eastern State and make connections to life in prisons today. Objects include shanks, officer uniforms, locks, and keys.

On This Night in 1867: William Hawthorne (inmate 5304) dies at approximately 8 o'clock this evening of heart disease. The warden notes that he has been ill for some time. At night, the penitentiary takes on a different energy. Experience it firsthand at #NightToursESP this fall: www.EasternState.org/NightTours... Cellblock 3 corridor, c. 1897. Image: from Michael J. Cassidy, Warden Cassidy on Prisons and Convicts.

Join the conversation! Eastern State staff read a weekly article on current corrections for group discussion. Take a look at this week’s article and share your thoughts below: https://wapo.st/3m6rsdM "A class-action lawsuit was filed on behalf of incarcerated individuals in local, state and federal facilities arguing that the IRS actions were unlawful. Judge Phyllis Hamilton of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California agreed, saying the decision to withhold the stimulus payments was 'arbitrary and capricious.' Hamilton ordered the Treasury Department and the IRS to send the relief money and to do so within certain deadlines."