Old Idaho Penitentiary

Between 1872 and 1973, the Idaho State Penitentiary housed over 13,000 inmates. Some of Idaho's most corrupt and cunning criminals resided behind these Boise sandstone walls. Constructed in large part by inmate labor, the Old Idaho Penitentiary stands as a reminder of Idaho's Wild West past. Horse thieves, moonshiners, bank robbers, and assassins alike all called this penitentiary home. Owned and operated by the Idaho State Historical Society, the Old Idaho Penitentiary is one of only four territorial prisons open to the public in the United States.

This collection of photographs from the Idaho State Archives and the Boise State University Special Collections highlights over 101 years of prison history. The book was compiled by former and current staff. Amber Beierle currently works as the educational specialist at the Old Idaho Penitentiary. She earned her master's in public history at Boise State University. Ashley Phillips formerly worked as a site interpreter and is currently a graduate student in historic preservation at the University of Vermont. Hanako Wakatsuki formerly worked as an interpretive specialist and is a graduate student in museum studies at the Johns Hopkins University. She works for the National Park Service.