Ohio Penitentiary pictorial report

              State Archives Series 1641 AV
Ohio Dept. of Rehabilitation and Corrections
Ohio Penitentiary Photo Report
Page 1
OHIO HISTORICAL SOCIETY
State Archives Record Series
State Archives Series 1641 AV
OHIO DEPARTMENT OF REHABILITATION AND CORRECTION
OHIO PENITENTIARY PHOTO REPORT, 1969-1970
OVERVIEW OF THE SERIES
Series Number: State Archives Series 1641AV
Series Title: Ohio Penitentiary Photo Report
Creating Agency: Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction
Dates: 1968-1970
Record Group Number: 701
Department/Division: Ohio Penitentiary
Media: Photographs
Quantity: 0.33 c.f.
Location: 3/10/3/G
INSTITUTIONAL HISTORY
In 1832 the state legislature approved the construction of the Ohio Penitentiary at its
long-standing location on Spring and Maple Streets in Columbus. Prisoners moved in
immediately after the main building, West Hall, was completed in October 1834. It
contained 200 cells, the warden's quarters and a guardroom. The guardroom was the
entrance to the penitentiary for new inmates and the exit for inmates being released.
Just beyond the guardroom was an enclosure known as the 'bull pen' where new
prisoners were thoroughly searched.
Between 1834 and 1877 the size of the Ohio Penitentiary was increased to support an
expanding prison population. East Hall, with 500 cells, was completed in 1861, just in
time to house a large influx of Confederate prisoners during the Civil War. Confederate
General John Hunt Morgan was imprisoned in and escaped from East Hall in 1863. New
Hall was completed in 1877. These three halls formed the impressive 813 foot façade of
the penitentiary that faced Spring Street. The Ohio Penitentiary complex expanded to
cover 22.5 acres. The prison walls stretched 1450 feet on the east side, 1340 feet on the
west side along Neil Ave. (formerly Dennison Ave.) and 540 feet on the north side along
Maple St.
A separate facility for women was constructed in 1837. It was built to house 22 inmates
in 11 cells. Eventually, a larger facility for women was built on the southeast corner of
the prison grounds. In 1913 female inmates were transferred to the Ohio Reformatory
for Women, Marysville, Ohio. The building was later used as a hospital and an honor
dormitory for men.