America’s citizens have often criticized its justice system. From false convictions and multiple innocents on death row to the misconduct and alleged abuse of the system by prosecutors, police, and judges, it’s clear that the system doesn’t do much for any of the accused. In fact, many prisons were closed down due to the cruel and unusual punishments the prisoners had to face. One of these prisons was the West Virginia Penitentiary.

During the beginnings of the American Civil War, when West Virginia seceded from the Union, they were left lacking many needed institutions. Because of this, the West Virginia Penitentiary was founded in 1876. At first, the Penitentiary would be used as a prison that functioned to reform prisoners. The prisoners supported the prison through the use of a hospital, a carpentry shop, and even a bakery. Inmates were educated, and for the most part, the conditions in the prison were good. However, as time passed and conditions deteriorated, violence began flourishing behind the walls. When the prison population doubled in size due to overcrowding, the prison eroded even further. It even got to the point where there was a prison break on November 7th, 1979, and a riot on January 1st, 1986. Eventually, the prison closed in the 1990s, and the inmates were sent elsewhere.

Despite its initial stellar record, the Penitentiary has a rather dark history. Many prison guards were found to have whips that were used to torture the prisoners. And while the prison was home to many executions, murders and suicides were alarmingly common. For example, a technique called “Kicking Jenny” made use of a machine that would allow the guards to strap prisoners in and rip them into two. Yet another instrument of torture used was “the shoo-fly.” It places the victim in a way that he couldn’t move. The guard would then hose down the prisoner’s face until they nearly drowned.

Since its closing, the prison has functioned as both a training facility and a tourist attraction. Many visitors have visited the Penitentiary and emerged telling of mysterious, even paranormal encounters. There are many places in the prison regarded as “hot spots.” Doors would open and close by themselves. Unexplainable shadows would race through the corridors. Many believe this was due to the prison’s tragic past, where prisoners were, as mentioned above, tortured and mutilated.

Many authors have already written on the Penitentiary. Sherri Brake’s The Haunted History of the West Virginia Penitentiary and C.J Plogger’s Life at the West Virginia Penitentiary: The Story of Maggie Gray gave life to the many stories within the prison. The prison was also the set of many movies, such as Out of the Furnace, The Night of the Hunter, and Fools Parade. It was even the subject of shows such as Scooby-Doo and CNN. But while mysterious and fascinating in its own right, the truth is that the prison remains a cruel reminder of America’s disregard for its own people.