From an airplane flying over downtown Philadelphia, the Eastern State Penitentiary looked like a crawling octopus. The architecture is an embodiment of the Benthamite panopticon: a towering watchtower called the Center, surrounded by 450 cells arranged in seven rows that radiate outward like the spokes of a wheel. The entire building is surrounded by a square, towering, fortress-like wall with crenellations and Gothic-style slit windows that are purely ornamental rather than functional.
When this building was completed in 1829, it could claim to be the most humane and modern prison in the world. It was the largest and most expensive public facility in the country at the time. The interior of the prison is well-lit, opulent, and reminiscent of a medieval monastery. Each prisoner lived in an individual cell equipped with a flush toilet, a running water faucet, and a skylight called a “dead eye.” The cells are centrally heated. At the back of each cell, a small door led to an open, walled yard where prisoners could exercise. The isolation of the cells from each other also helped to prevent the transmission of diseases. The prison later incorporated a greenhouse, a hospital, and a synagogue.
Nevertheless, as Charles Dickens commented on this colossal prison, "this slow, and daily, tampering with the mysteries of the brain” proved to be “immeasurably worse than any torture of the body.” The psychological ordeals the penitentiary inflicted on its inmates were unprecedented and unimaginable. The prison promoted the absolute separation of each prisoner. No interaction or communication was allowed between inmates. Except for the rare opportunity to speak with the chaplain and guards, prisoners had virtually no opportunity to speak. They had only one book, the Bible, to read; they were not allowed to receive letters or newspapers. Prisoners were required to wear a hood whenever they left their cell, which meant they could not see any of the other inmates for years during their incarceration.
This scheme of incarceration called the Pennsylvania System, was deeply rooted in early American religion and humanitarianism, especially that of the Quakers, which emphasized the nature of goodness in the soul of every human being. Prisoners were thus expected to reflect, repent, and regain their good nature in absolute solitude and silence. This silence, however, turned out to be an unbearable mental torture.
By the end of the 19th century, this system of incarceration was challenged as costly, cumbersome, and inhumane and became increasingly controversial. In 1913, this model was finally abandoned. Prisoners of different races began to talk, work, and even live together. Inmates were also allowed access to some activities, such as sports and chess. Famous criminals at Eastern State Penitentiary included Al Capone and Willie Sutton; a number of successful and unsuccessful escape attempts became part of its legend.
Eastern State Penitentiary was slated for closure in the 1960s due to its dilapidated, overcrowded facilities and rising maintenance costs. In 1971, Eastern State Penitentiary closed its doors. It sat vacant and unmaintained for more than twenty years. Local communities and academics organized successful efforts to stop demolition and redevelopment attempts. Today, the penitentiary has been preserved as a stabilized ruin and is open to the public as a museum.