Old Idaho Penitentiary

The Old Idaho Penitentiary sits on the edge of Boise, beneath the sandstone slopes of Table Rock, and is one of only a handful of surviving territorial-era prisons open to the public in the United States. Built from 1870 and receiving its first inmates in 1872, it began as a single cell house and grew over the decades into a walled complex, much of it constructed from sandstone quarried nearby by convict labour. It remained in operation for just over a century, through escapes, riots and changing standards, before closing in 1973.

With its long history of confinement and executions, the site attracts its share of ghostly anecdote, and visitors sometimes describe unsettling atmospheres in the cell houses and solitary confinement block. Such impressions are personal and unverified, and the prison's documented history is compelling enough without them.

Managed today as a state historic site, the penitentiary offers a well-interpreted look at frontier and 20th-century justice in Idaho, including its cell houses, gallows and associated exhibits. It is valued as a genuine and carefully preserved piece of the state's history.

The Old Idaho Penitentiary is operated by the Idaho State Historical Society as a historic site, open to the public with admission for self-guided visits and, at times, guided tours and special events. Hours are seasonal and the grounds involve outdoor walking and stairs, so checking current information before visiting is helpful.

As a state historic site, visitors are asked to stay within designated areas, follow posted rules and treat the buildings and their history with respect.