Treasured Valley

-by Amy Pence-Brown

The Old State Pen is one of my most favorite places in Idaho. I love the drive out on Warm Springs Avenue, where the passage of time is evident through the architecture of the homes on that historic boulevard. I love making that left turn toward the old prison, where you are so quickly reminded of the dry high desert beauty of our city, with Table Rock looming and the botanical gardens just ahead. I love the stoicness and rough Westerness of the rocky barricades marking the prison walls. I love the Bishops House and the smell of dried dirt and sagebrush. But the thing I love most about the Old Pen is the raw humanness that lingers there – sadness, fear, anger, frustration, love – that is still evident in the items that remain: the writing on the walls, the flaking turquoise paint, the dust, the toilets, the bunks, the artwork, the showers, the personal items taken from inmates in the yard, the barber shop. You can feel the Idaho sun beating down on your shoulders as you stand in the middle of the concrete basketball court, or the rose garden, or the women’s ward, and breathe the same air as those inmates and staff did one-hundred years ago.

The Old Idaho State Pen was built by hand in 1870 by the inmates themselves. It operated as a working prison for over 100 years and housed some of Idaho’s most notorious criminals, including numerous women. It ceased operation in 1973 and became a museum for the public after that. It’s open all year pretty much daily and costs $5 (or less) per person to get in. They give you a map of the site, as it’s usually a self tour (with the exception of during special events), and you start with an introductory video and informational panels. The grounds consist of numerous buildings, including cell houses, the guards and warden’s houses, solitary confinement, dining hall, and a shirt factory, where inmates laundered clothing for local

military folks. I appreciate that the museum isn’t over-curated – the prison mostly stands in the exact state is was left in in the mid-70s when it ceased operation. The fragments lives lived there make a strong enough statement and allow for interpretation. Several display boards, signage and labels give some background on the history of the place and are accompanied by stellar photographic documentation from the Idaho State Historical Library and Archives. There are also some very interesting exhibits on prison tattoo art, the hanging room, and old West transportation, where you canfind an elaborately carved black horse-drawn hearse.

You can easily spend an entire afternoon there, and I also highly recommend the quaint little Idaho Museum of Mining & Geology that sits right there on prison grounds as well. The kids will love the shiny rocks and minerals on display. While they might not grasp the severity or concept of the prison grounds, my girls loved running around outside, smelling flowers and climbing dark and narrow flights of stairs and exploring tiny cellblocks. There are picnic tables and grass on the grounds, so pack a lunch to eat there or take a break down the road at Quarry View Park. Take my word – it’s a hauntingly beautiful piece of history; you won’t be disappointed.

Read Amy Pence-Brown’s blog Doin’ It All Idaho Style here.