Boise in Ada County, Idaho — The American West (Mountains)
Idaho State Penitentiary
Founded 1868
Photographed by Douglass Halvorsen, June 26, 2023
1. Idaho State Penitentiary Marker
Marker located on the wall inside the lobby of the Administration Building and only available during museum hours.
Prison Commissioners
William J. McConnell, Gov.
Jas. F. Curtis, Sec. of State
Geo.M. Parsons, Atty. Gen.
Jas. King, Archt.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Law Enforcement.
Location. 43° 36.156′ N, 116° 9.762′ W. Marker is in Boise, Idaho, in Ada County. It can be reached from Old Penitentiary Road. The marker is mounted on a wall at the entrance to the penitentiary cemetery. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 2445 Old Penitentiary Road, Boise ID 83712, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is on Idaho’s Snake River Plain. It is also in the American Mountain West. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Sally Port (within shouting distance of this marker); Bishops House (within shouting distance of this marker); Wardens House (within shouting distance of this marker); Trusty Dorm
this page online
Also see . . . Old Idaho Penitentiary. The Old Idaho Penitentiary was a functioning prison for 101 years. It was built in 1870, and the first prisoners arrived in 1872. (Submitted on February 23, 2013.)
Photographed by Don Morfe, June 27, 2009
2. Warden's House - 1902
Designed by architect John Tourtellotte, this building housed prison wardens until 1954.
Photographed by Don Morfe, June 27, 2009
3. Warden's House
Photographed by Don Morfe, June 27, 2009
4. Dungeon Marker
In the 1890s, a dungeon under this trapdoor served as a punishment cell.
Photographed by Don Morfe, June 27, 2009
5. Dungeon Entrance Door
Photographed by Don Morfe, June 27, 2009
6. Hospital Foundation
Foundation of the prison hospital, which later served as a social services center. The building burned in the 1971 riot.
Photographed by Don Morfe, June 27, 2009
7. 1950s Cell House
The largest cellblock in the compound, this building could house 320 inmates in four-man cells.
Photographed by Pat Filippone, August 15, 2017
8. Idaho State Penitentiary
Photographed by Don Morfe, June 27, 2009
9. Cell House
The rock pile seen on the left are the ruins of the hospital foundation.
Photographed by Douglass Halvorsen, June 26, 2023
10. Idaho State Penitentiary Marker
Marker located on the wall inside the Administration Building lobby
Photographed by Don Morfe, June 27, 2009
11. Tombstone at the Penitentiary
1851-1881
“Here lies the body of Lester Moore. Shot by a guard with a forty-four. Now there is No Les no more.”
Photographed by Don Morfe, June 27, 2009
12. Display of Confiscated Items
Photographed by Don Morfe, June 27, 2009
13. Sign at Entrance to Penitentiary
Credits. This page was last revised on July 7, 2023. It was originally submitted on February 5, 2013, by Don Morfe of Baltimore, Maryland. This page has been viewed 1,305 times since then and 38 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on June 29, 2023, by Douglass Halvorsen of Klamath Falls, Oregon. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. submitted on February 5, 2013, by Don Morfe of Baltimore, Maryland. 8. submitted on August 29, 2017, by Pat Filippone of Stockton, California. 9. submitted on February 5, 2013, by Don Morfe of Baltimore, Maryland. 10. submitted on June 29, 2023, by Douglass Halvorsen of Klamath Falls, Oregon. 11, 12, 13. submitted on February 5, 2013, by Don Morfe of Baltimore, Maryland. • Syd Whittle was the editor who published this page.
