Colorado Territorial Prison

Colorado Territorial Prison. "Old Max". The Colorado State Penitentiary, "Old Max," opened in 1871 as part of the federal prison system when Colorado was still a territory. It was built by convicts using stone quarried and cut on-site. In 1876 when Colorado achieved statehood, " Old Max" was deeded to the State. It was the first of seven state and four federal prisons now located in Fremont County. As the state's maximum security priso, it at one time housed over 2,000 prisoners. Now a medium security prison, the Colorado Territorial Correctional Facility confines 900 male inmates., After being convicted of larceny, John Shepler was received on June 13, 1871, as Prisoner No. 1. Other notorious inmates who did time at "Old Max" include Alfred Packer, the Colorado Cannibal; Henry Starr, bank robbing nephew of outlaw Belle Starr; and James Sherbondy, a participant in the December 1947 mass escape of 12 desperate prisoners which was later depicted in the motion picture "Canon City." Female escapee Jean Anderson, like many male escapees, lasted only one day on the outside. " Old Max" hosted the youngest inmate ever incarcerated in the stat, 11 year-old Antone Wood, who murdered a man for his shiny gold watch in 1893. Cell house No. 4, now housing the Museum of Colorado Prisons was built by Warden Roy Best in 1935. It was the first women's cell house built outside the prison walls and was in continuous use until 1968. The Mission of the Museum of the Colorado Prisons is to serve as a regional resource center, preserving and presenting the history and evolution of the Colorado prison system. , Dedicated by Al Packer Chapter #100 21 June 2014, Ancient and Honorable Order of E Clampus Vitus, 6019