Various Rooms and Sections of the Penitentiary

Reference

Penitentiary Barber Shop
Ohio Historical Society. "Ohio History Central-Ohio Penitentiary Barber Shop."

(2010). n. pag. Web. 10 May 2010.

http://www.ohiohistorycentral.org/image.php?img=956

The baseball diamond being constructed at the Penitentiary

Ohio Historical Society. "Ohio History Central-Ohio Penitentiary Baseball Field."

(2010). n. pag. Web. 10 May 2010.

http://www.ohiohistorycentral.org/image.php?img=1574

The Ohio Penitentiary Hospital Ward

Grave Addiction. "Ohio Penitentiary." (2010). n. pag. Web. 10 May 2010.

http://www.graveaddiction.com/ospen.html

The Dining Hall of the Penitentiary

Grave Addiction. "Ohio Penitentiary." (2010). n. pag. Web. 10 May 2010.

http://www.graveaddiction.com/ospen.html

The Penitentiary Chapel during service

Grave Addiction. "Ohio Penitentiary." (2010). n. pag. Web. 10 May 2010.

http://www.graveaddiction.com/ospen.html

Execution House

Reference
An outside shot of the execution house where the electric chair was used.

Ohio Historical Society, . "Ohio History Central-Ohio Penitentiary Death House."
(2010): n. pag. Web. 10 May 2010.
http://www.ohiohistorycentral.org/image.php?img=1572

An artist rendering of an execution.

Grave Addiction. "Ohio Penitentiary." (2010). n. pag. Web. 10 May 2010.
http://www.graveaddiction.com/ospen.html

Inmate Mugshots

Top 2 photos: The front and back of an inmates mugshot who is imprisoned for burglary.

Bottom 2 photos: The front and back of an inmates mugshot who is imprisoned for 2nd degree murder.



Reference
Grave Addiction. "Ohio Penitentiary." (2010). n. pag. Web. 10 May 2010.
http://www.graveaddiction.com/ospen.html

Demographics: Then and Now

The city of Columbus has drastically changed since its’ time of construction of the Ohio Penitentiary. When the penitentiary was completed in 1834, Columbus was the 70th largest city in America, with a touch over 6,000 residents. By the destruction of the penitentiary in 1998, Columbus was the 15th largest city in America with a population over 700,000. Helping to facilitate this population growth has been the city’s land area expansion. Annexation has allowed the city to grow from 39.9 square miles in 1950 to 225.9 square miles today. Throughout this growth of the city, it became evident that this wasn’t a good location for the Ohio Penitentiary.

Reference
"1950 Boundary (Central City) Population Profile/1990 Boundary Population Profile." City of Columbus. Web. 12 May 2010. .

Images of Cells and Cellblocks

Top: Image of what was called "Bankers' Row."

Grave Addiction. "Ohio Penitentiary." (2010). n. pag. Web. 10 May 2010.

http://www.graveaddiction.com/ospen.html

Second from Top: Image of a two person cell.

Ohio Historical Society, . "Ohio History Central-Ohio Penitentiary Cell (2)."

(2010): n. pag. Web. 10 May 2010.

http://www.ohiohistorycentral.org/image.php?img=2042

Second from Bottom: Image of a one person cell.

Ohio Historical Society, . "Ohio History Central-Ohio Penitentiary Cell(1)."
(2010): n. pag. Web. 10 May 2010.

http://www.ohiohistorycentral.org/image.php?img=2041

Bottom: Image looking down the aisle of a cellblock.

Ohio Historical Society, . "Ohio History Central-Ohio Penitentiary Cellblock."

(2010): n. pag. Web. 10 May 2010.

http://www.ohiohistorycentral.org/image.php?img=2160

Riot of 1968

The second riot of the Ohio Penitentiary broke out on August 20, 1968. Just as before in the riot of 1952, prisoners broke into the cafeteria, the commissary, and the prison hospital as well as setting several buildings ablaze. Inmates from cell blocks C and D took nine penitentiary guards hostage and began delivering demands. The demands included a list of guards to be fired, official pardon to the rioters, and show the media the prisoners’ demands.
The warden allowed the prisoners to speak to the media but cut it short when violence commenced again among the inmates. This angered the prisoners and they stated they would burn the nine guards alive and even decapitate one if the media was not brought back. However, they agreed to release the guards if they could speak to the media again. A stalemate went on throughout the night between officers and prisoners, but negotiations continued.
The next day, officers comprised of State Highway Patrol, Ohio National Guard, local police, and prison guards decided to take action when an inmate stabbed another inmate. The officers charged into the cellblocks but the nine guards were still held hostage. They blew a hole in the roof to reach the hostages and rescue them and another hole was blown on the bottom floor so they could work their way up to rioters. Once the C and D cellblocks were detained and controlled the riot officially ended. Casualties of the riot included five inmates with another five inmates and seven officers injured.

Reference
Ohio Historical Society. "Ohio Penitentiary Riot (1968)-Ohio History Central-A product of the Ohio Historical Society." (2010): n. pag. Web. 10 May 2010.
http://www.ohiohistorycentral.org/entry.php?rec=2097.

Nationwide Reality Investors. (2006). The Arena District: A Neighborhood 170 Years in the Making. Columbus, OH: Michelle Chippas.
Image:
Nationwide Reality Investors. (2006). The Arena District: A Neighborhood 170 Years in the Making. Columbus, OH: Michelle Chippas.

The Arena District: A Neighborhood 170 Years in the Making

-The Ohio Penitentiary was opened as a source of civic pride with 189 prisoners in 1834, and closed 150 years later in 1984. 

-It was located on a 22-acre plot on West Spring Street between West Street and Neil Avenue (former Dennison Avenue). 

-Built in limestone in an ornate style, the administration building occupied nearly the length of Spring Street and a 24-foot wall surrounded the site. 

-An additional floor and new facade featuring a heavy masonry cornice were added in 1877. 

-The Pen was built at a cost of more than $93,000, including an estimated $78,000 of inmate labor.

-Historian Martin Fornshell described the Pen as standing alone “in the imposing and massive grandeur of its severe and stately front---a silent and frowning warning to the observer of the majesty of the law and the consequences which are sure to follow and overtake those who indult or violate its imperial dignity and sovereign mandates.”

-The stone and steel structure of the Ohio Pen was referred as an “acre of sorrow” by an account in 1908 because of many sad incidences such as the 1849 cholera epidemic that claimed one quarter of the prison’s 423 inmates. 

-Although the practice of whipping was abolished in 1844, punishment by dunking, time in the “sweatbox” and electrical shock were still employed.

-The Ohio Pen gained a national reputation as a model prison in the late 1880s.

-The 1930 Easter Monday Fire was the worst prison fire in U.S. history, which killed 322 inmates.  

-The fire started in New Hall, the present site of the Neil Avenue parking garage.

-New Hall was built in walls of stone and a wooden roof covered with slate.

-The fire was caused by three inmates who touched a candle flame to oily rags. Two later committed suicide.

-Guards were not trained to deal with fire, leading to the fatal delay in freeing the prisoners.

-A total of 315 persons, including three women were executed at the Pen.

Reference

Nationwide Reality Investors. (2006). The Arena District: A Neighborhood 170 Years in the Making. Columbus, OH: Michelle Chippas.

Riot of 1952

For decades, mostly throughout the 1940s and 1950s prisons became overcrowded and little to no funds was given to the prisons to care for the prisoners. Soon this over crowding and lack of needed funds resulted in prison riots. October 31, 1952, the notorious “Halloween Riot” broke out at the Ohio Penitentiary due to the dislike and unhappiness of the food.

The uprising all started about 5:00pm when prisoners in one cafeteria began banging their cups with spoons which meant they wanted more coffee. The warden, R.W. Alvis at the time, managed to gain control of the disturbance, but could not manage to settle another rebellion happening in the next cafeteria. The quarrel in the other cafeteria consisted of prisoners were throwing food, trays, and utensils. However, not all inmates took part in the riot; some took it upon themselves to return to their cells. The rioting did not just occur in the cafeteria, prisoners began to assault each other, broke into the infirmary to steal drugs, as well as setting buildings on fire.

A force combined of Ohio Highway Patrol, Columbus Police, National Guard and prison guards manage to force most of the prisoners back into their cells around 10:00pm. Still, cell blocks G, H, I, and K were still under the control of the inmates. On November 3, three days after the initiation of the riot, police cut off food supply and heat to the prison. This led to prisoners hurling objects out the windows towards officials. Officials ordered them to stop but when inmates refused and continued, police opened fire killing one prisoner and wounding four others.

The riot lasted four days and claimed one inmate, however this would not be the last.

Reference
Ohio Historical Society. "Ohio Penitentiary Riot (1952)." 2010: n. pag. Web. 5 May 2010. http://www.ohiohistorycentral.org/entry.php?rec=2096&nm=Ohio-Penitentiary-Riot-1952.

Present Day Info

Here's some information on present day area/ Arena District

http://hockey.ballparks.com/NHL/ColumbusBlueJackets/index.htm