Old Idaho State Penitentiary

Old Idaho State Penitentiary

The Old Idaho State Penitentiary was a functional prison from 1872 to 1973. The first building, also known as the Territorial Prison, was constructed in the Territory of Idaho in 1870.

Over its 101 years of operation, the penitentiary received more than 13,000 inmates, with a maximum population of a little over 600. Two hundred and fifteen of the inmates were women. Two famous inmates were Harry Orchard and Lyda Southard.

416 resident inmates were moved to the newly built Idaho State Correctional Institution south of Boise and the Old Idaho Penitentiary was closed on December 3, 1973.

The Old Idaho Penitentiary is operated by the Idaho State Historical Society.

Getting There

The Old Idaho State Penitentiary is located in Boise, Idaho, USA. Here are some ways to get there:

By car: The Old Idaho State Penitentiary is located just a few minutes from downtown Boise. Visitors can drive and park at the site. The address is 2445 Old Penitentiary Road, Boise, Idaho 83712.

By public transportation: The ValleyRide bus system in Boise has several routes that stop near the Old Idaho State Penitentiary. Visitors can take the bus to the Broadway Avenue and Beacon Street stop and walk about 15 minutes to the penitentiary.

By bike or on foot: The Old Idaho State Penitentiary is accessible by bike or on foot via the Boise River Greenbelt. The site is located just a short distance from the Greenbelt path.

Nearby Airports

This is a list of primary airports in Idaho that have scheduled passenger service on commercial airlines.