For a hundred and seventy-five years, the towers of the historic Iowa State Penitentiary held court at Fort Madison. The large maximum-security prison had a storied history – one with a lot of blood along the way. From prison riots to executions, is it any surprise that many people feel there’s something haunting about this old prison in Iowa? Today, the inmates were moved to a new location and the old facility stands abandoned. Over the years, some folks were lucky enough to tour the cell blocks of this frightening place. Is the abandoned penitentiary the most haunted place on earth? I believe it could be…dare you find out for yourself?
The penitentiary is a historical landmark and tourist site in Fort Madison. During the time that tours were regularly offered, you could see cheerful tourists lined up outside.
Some of those folks have reported hearing strange noises inside the walls of the prison.
Anyone who approached the facility could easily see traces of the place it used to be - starting with the mighty stone walls covered with barbed wire to prevent any escapes.
Founded in 1939, the prison used to be more of a fortress; it used to hold some of the most dangerous people in the Hawkeye State for close to two centuries.
The guards at the historic prison were used to guarding the worst of the worst - and oversaw forty executions over the decades. The prison was also the site of a bloody riot and standoff in 1981.
Today, the inmates have all been transferred to a new facility, but there could be some restless souls from all the executions and riots roaming those cell blocks.
The abandoned prison has many remnants of the old days, including unique graffiti stylings left behind by inmates from decades past.
But many sites in the prison hold a darker history. The massive auditorium, which might not look much different from a high school, once held hundreds of prisoners.
The guard tower, which still overlooks the prison but has fallen into disrepair, was the site of tense negotiations during the infamous prison riot.
The deeper you go inside the prison, the darker and more foreboding it gets. This is where tourists often insisted they heard things moving around inside the haunted grounds.
The tours were during the daytime - but anyone who found themselves exploring the prison during the night would likely have had a much different - and more terrifying - experience.
As you can tell, it's not hard to believe that this abandoned prison could very well be the most haunted place on earth.
Want more evidence? Take a look and listen to some video and audio footage taken on a rare tour of the penitentiary - what do you think? Are there spirits trying to tell us something?
https://youtu.be/XKhMA--Y06M?si=9DjYF-aJ1bsE5ye8
If you’ve toured the penitentiary, let us know if its haunted past made an impression on you in the comments section. If you’re interested in learning more about this prison, future tours, or exploring the larger Fort Madison area, make sure to visit the Fort Madison City website.
If you’re searching for more creepy adventures, check out this ghost tour of this Iowa mansion.
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