 Anamosa State Penitentiary Tour
Cedar Rapids, Iowa
The penitentiary was built almost entirely by the prisoners that were incarcerated over 130 years ago. The tour is of the outside of the building and is much to behold. The “White Palace of the West” is much too grand and beautiful to be a prison. The color of the limestone and the Romanesque Revival style building has caused the penitentiary to be a tourist attraction from its beginning. The Penitentiary Museum houses dioramas of quarrying and construction techniques, a full-sized replica of a cell and photographs of guards and prison life.
In 1916, the museum was originally a barn on the outside of the prison gates. It became a cheese factory in 1931 and is now the museum and gift shop. Once inside, the visitor will see mannequins in real prison clothing, photos and biographies of real prisoners. Read about John Elkins, an 11-year-old who was sentenced to life in prison for murdering his father and step-mother; Harry Hortman, who murdered his girlfriend in a jealous frenzy; and John Gacey who was imprisoned in Anamosa for two years and later became known as one of the worst serial killers in history for having murdered 33 young men. A visit to these Iowa attractions shows the traveler the bad, the ugly and the good of history.
Other Popular Iowa Attractions: African-American Museum | Amana Colonies | Anamosa State Penitentiary Tour | Clark's Tower | Covered Bridges of Madison County | John Wayne Birthplace | Northside Café | Theatre Cedar Rapids | Winterset Art Center
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