Colorado Prison Museum

I served my time at the Colorado Prison Museum in Cañon City. Experience what it was like to live behind bars as you step behind one of the 32 original holding cells of the Women’s Prison.  It opened from 1935 and shut down in 1968. A story unfolds in each cell. You will learn about successful and unsuccessful prison breaks, see old shoes and toothbrushes and other ways weapons were smuggled to prisoners and read detailed accounts of infamous Colorado prisoners like Alfred Packer. One cell is complete with crochet and knitted pillows from when prisoners had the freedom to decorate. Out front is the gas chamber that was used before lethal injection.

When I drove into the museum I already had a connection to the Territorial Prison next door that still houses inmates. Prisoners are paid $4.00 a day to make Colorado license plates.  This prison was the first in Colorado; it opened in 1871 before Colorado was a state. The Museum is located right next door so you don’t have to listen very hard to hear guards shouting commands and prisoners playing baseball.  STRIKE!

Downstairs the original kitchen and laundry quarters are still intact. Prisoners were once 

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responsible for pitching in to make their meals, making sure nothing was handed to them as it is today.

To serve you time visit: https://www.prisonmuseum.org