A Walk Through Eastern State Penitentiary

During my two day layover in Philadelphia, part of my "Train Odyssey 3", I visited the famous old prison "Eastern State Penitentiary", which is the world's first penitentiary. This grand experiment in humane treatment of minor offenders, who might otherwise be thrown into rough prisons, was based on the then-new philosophy that if a minor offender could be put into a solitary situation where they could look inwards and consider the error of their ways, that they would become penitent and could then be released to become productive members of society again.
Later this penitentiary was converted into a maximum security prison, and closed in 1970.
It is now considered to be a 'preserved ruin', maintained just enough to prevent further decline. A few select parts have been restored to show what they were like when new.

[@bockscar43]

Thank's for a depressing look into prison life in older times...Can scratch it off the bucket list.

[@markdiehl1963]

Interesting stuff thanks for the tour

[@TL-xn7hy]

Thank you. Great video.

[@elizabethtorres6069]

Thank you sir for an awesome video tour...curious where the prisoners who died were burried, which Cemetery was used. Marked or unmarked graves?

[@solidgroundministries6469]

Good video. You should check out Missouri State prison. 2nd oldest prison and was an active prison for 168 years. Finally closed in 2004 and is in way way better shape.

[@jeffmcdermott8845]

Just took the tour last September 👍

[@billypowell8082]

Fun fact: Al Capone was held there more or less in the lap of luxury, but he would often wake up in the middle of the night screaming, claiming he was being haunted by a victim of the St. Valentine's Day Massacre.

[@cynthiafeagin5185]

Come see some of the older prisons in Texas. The one where Clyde Barrow was incarcerated.

[@AmtrakEnthusiast]

I took a tour of this place as well. It was crazy how they had them put masks on and not interact with other inmates.

[@yourroyalhighness7662]

An episode of MTV’s Fear was taped at ESP in the early 2000s if my memory is correct.

[@MI-hz1cp]

Yes it is, and I have to say from what I saw it is definitely haunted. I wanna do an investigation there. Give up give me $5000 let's go. Wanna come?

[@yourroyalhighness7662]

@@MI-hz1cp I would but various circumstances make it an impossibility. I won't bore you with the details but there are at least 4 huge obstacles in my path.
I do miss MTV's Fear. The best show they ever had.

[@MI-hz1cp]

@@yourroyalhighness7662 I believe you can overcome any limit put in your way more or less. Always possibilities yes?

[@yourroyalhighness7662]

@@MI-hz1cp I like your attitude. I suppose that none of the obstacles in my way would be truly insurmountable but defeating them would be like running through hell in a gasoline sportcoat and living to tell the tale.

[@MI-hz1cp]

@@yourroyalhighness7662 Thank you; in many cases that would be true. It's never easy but always possible. Every obstacle in my life had a limit I could overtake.

[@yourroyalhighness7662]

You and your videos are addictive. Have you taken Amtrak from Chicago to San Francisco?

[@youtuuba]

Take a look at my channel...of course I have done that and have videos to prove it!

[@davidgriffin14]

looks like they need some major funding to do a little restoration before it totally becomes Condemned! (Condemned---no pun intended)

[@youtuuba]

It is their intention to keep it as a 'stabilized ruin', no plans to fix it up, just keep it from getting worse.

[@tamlewis9690]

I could be wrong was this on TAPS?

[@Rusty_Nickle]

Lot of wasted space. They could triple up bunk beds and turn the little yards into extra housing too