Philadelphia's Mega Prison | Eastern State Penitentiary
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- Опубліковано 20 гру 2023
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Eastern State Penitentiary, located in Philadelphia, stands as a haunting monument to the evolution of the American penal system. Established in 1829, it pioneered the revolutionary concept of solitary confinement, aiming for inmate rehabilitation through isolation and reflection. Its imposing Gothic architecture, designed to intimidate and induce penitence, housed notorious criminals like Al Capone. Despite its innovative approach, by the mid-20th century, the penitentiary fell into disrepair, closing its doors in 1971. Since then, its crumbling corridors and empty cells have captivated visitors, becoming a historic site that echoes the eerie legacy of its past, shrouded in tales of both reformative ideals and the harsh realities of incarceration.
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IT’S HISTORY - Weekly Tales of American Urban Decay as presented by your host Ryan Socash.
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» CREDIT
Scriptwriter - Dillan Aultimate
Editor - Karolina Szwata
Host - Ryan Socash
Music/Sound Design: Dave Daddario
» NOTICE
Some images may be used for illustrative purposes only - always reflecting the accurate time frame and content. Events of factual error / mispronounced word/spelling mistakes - retractions will be published in this section.
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I want that gargoyle at 0:05
First program I've seen on this building that didn't involve night vision gear and ghost hunters 👍
That's because the ghosts 👻 moved out to. 😶
Thank goodness.
The video game the suffering had a little video on this prison it’s an old game the OG Xbox
Lived for 2 years in the Fairmount area of Philly, Pennsylvania Ave, blocks away from Eastern State. Even went to events there and a tour. It’s actually quite cool and the Firehouse restaurant right in front is really good.
I ate there when I toured the prison! I also did the haunted house thing they do
I worked there for two of the Haunted Halloween nights. Firehouse was very good.
By any chance did you ever go to Fairmount Pizza and Grill? And if so, have you also noticed how ass their slices are?
@@Youngsickbacchus Most likely. Pizza around Fairmount was pretty mid.
I just did that tour last year it takes way longer than a half an hour to go through everything there are 50 plus stops covering almost every aspect of the prison and human life. Steve buscemi is great in it. Maybe if you can press everything Steve buscemi said with no time to walk between all the different stops it would take a half an hour that does not include all the interviews and extra stuff that's in that tour tour. If you're anywhere near Philadelphia I highly recommend going on it!
There is one here in Australia think it does tours but has regular Lazer tag so fun
I’d love if you covered my favorite museum in Philly; The Mutter Museum. Thomas Mutter was a fascinating individual.
I don't know a single friend who went there and weren't totally grossed out. (I turned down an invite to join them because I'd already heard about the place.)
I second that...I love that museum....its sad that currently some ppl want it closed.
I have been there and took the tour. According to the tour the real reason the prison closed was because the city grew up around it and the possibility of a prison break with the prisoners escaping into city neighborhoods was unacceptable to political leaders. It wasn’t concern for prisoners but the fear or escaping prisoners that closed the prison.
The solitary concept was copying religious hermits without recognizing that this involved a small group of individuals CHOSE to do that to get closer to God or to repent for some act rather than a large group of prisoners FORCED into it by the state. Granted the NY system using violence to keep order in a mass prisoner setting wasn’t much better.
One of my employees was sent there in the late sixties early seventy forget what it was for but it is a fascinating story I once boomed over the wall on the back side of the prison when I worked for a large tree contractor it truly does evoke awe If I remember correctly the word penitentiary comes from the word penitence and the hub a spoke design was revolutionary allowing for the guards to see down every cell block from a central location even today when I pass by it is an awe inspiring view
I grew up across the street from there on Corinthian Avenue in the 70's and 80's. Also my father worked there as a corrections officer from 1967 until it closed in 1971.
It's eerie red stone walls and towers are visible from I-95 a mile south of the Academy Road exit in Northeast Philadelphia. I've driven past it hundreds of times. From the day I first saw it, it seemed to have a twisted aura about it. And THAT was before I actually researched it and found out some of the history of the place. In any event, this presentation is a very welcome and appreciated chapter in "I'ts History". Thanks, RS, nice work!
The prison you’re referencing is Holmesburg prison, which also has a very interesting story but different from eastern state. Eastern state is closer to the art museum.
You are absolutely correct. Thanks Brian I used to deliver to the former Coyne Textile Services Plant at 48th and Brown in the middle eighties. When Ryan said that the ESP was on Brown Street, I thought I may have driven past it, but the Pen is at 2100 Brown inside the Surekill Distressway!
@@briansingmaster9453
That’s the holmesburg prison that you see along 95. It actually appears similar especially an overhead view.
I go to Terror Behind The Walls every Halloween! I swear it gets more scary every year, I love it! And when my friend Justin was growing up down the street from the prison, he and his cousin broke in and got stuck inside haha they screamed and screamed until someone who lived on Brown St heard them and called the cops. I encourage anyone who visits Philly to take a tour, it's awesome.
Very interesting and informative. I've been to this prison twice, though I can't say I had any paranormal encounters, and one of my relatives worked here as a security guard.
I grewup in Fairmount and this place was where we played street hockey in the parking area on Brown st. I remember when kids from the neighborhood broke in through the side door on 22nd street it was news throug out the neighborhood.
I took a tour of the penitentiary last year, it’s really cool and I highly recommend it
My great-great grandfather hung himself there while serving time for shooting his son in-law during an argument over non payment of a loan. We didn't know anything about it until my aunt started doing genealogy on her and my dads fathers side of the family after she retired
Halloween at Eastern State is amazing. They do it up!
Honestly speaking, looking at American prisons today, a solitary cell system looks far more appealing.
People just were more extroverted back then.
I just flew over this when landing a Northeast Philly airport a couple days ago. I was wondering what it was! Great timing!
I saw the Penitentiary wall on my trip up to Salem, Mass! I had enough time to look up from my phone and look left! I freaked out because I've always wanted to see the building for so long! I will always remember it!!
I live right across the street from Eastern State on Fairmount.
I’m from CA, I be in PA I passed by there a few times.. always tripped me out how it’s houses right across the street lmao 🤣
Fascinating! If I'm ever in Philadelphia, I'll have to pay it a visit!
Fantastic video, very interesting thank you very much. Hoping to visit this place one day, hopefully soon!
Prison isn't supposed to be resort. Many of those convicts were ruthless and vicious, they needed to be punished not coddled and pampered
I go there every year for their Halloween themed tours!
Enjoyed this very much so professionally done with alot of history, thumbs up
Thanks for the visit!
Big fan. First time sending a hello & huge thanks from Plano, ILLinois.
I actually went there to visit. Pretty big building near DT. Crazy what happened there tho
Another great video , thanks Ryan
Been there its wild!! ❤ you can feel the energy and its ALWAYS cold 🥶.
I like your new intro better! Nice work, old one was always surprising
To all future prisoners…if you can’t do the time, don’t do the crime!
I lived several blocks from Fairmount Penitentiary. Penitentiary derives it's name from "penance",. The Quakers that dominated society at the time were strong believers in such.
The prison is right across the street from Batche Elementary School at 22 and Brown Streets. You can see the school in the high long shot at 27:10. It's that gray 3 story building top left. I went to school there 1st to 6th. I was on the safety patrol too. My post was at 22 and Fairmount Ave. My class rooms always faced the wall of the prison. Walked by it 4 times a day for 6 years. 1949-1955. We would play half ball up 22nd street above Fairmount, that's a rubber ball about the size of a tennis ball cut in half. A broomstick was the bat. The pitcher pitched the half ball across 22 street to the batter opposite the prison. Hit the wall was a single, half way up was a double, 3/4 was a triple, If you hit the half ball over the wall it was a home run.😀😀
You should cover Holmesburg Prison too. It’s got an interesting history as well
That place has been an abandoned pa tourist attraction since before socash was born. I was touring it at 12 years old in the late 70s
I live in the area...love the neighborhood and the community garden on the property is peaceful.
Sure you could describe them. The video might get demonetized but you absolutely can describe them.
My sister went one year or a couple for Halloween. I couldn’t. I’ve been a scaredy cat since elementary school but now, I wouldn’t mind doing spooky things
Such an interesting video! And I think I will be watching Shawshank Redemption as some of these stories clearly inspired Stephen King with that story.
The game The Suffering is all about this prison awesome game straight up
You forgot the famous "Punk Rock Girl" video by the Dead Milkmen.
ua-cam.com/video/ZyaK3jo4Sl4/v-deo.html
I think the Dead Milkmen shot their video for Punk Rock Girl there, too.
GRATE‼️✔️☝️👌
I’m in Philadelphia quite often and I’ve seen it from a distance. If yours are still occurring, I’ll be going in early 2024.
No AC- did you really expect there to be AC?
I live in SC and we didn’t have AC in school in some of my classes in 1976 and we didn’t have AC at home until 1971.
Some criminals, not all, deserved the worst possible punishment that be given.
And you make a great argument for the death penalty as compared to solitary confinement.
But so many people went to prison for what would be considered frivolous crimes today.
2:24 nobody see the cat being thrown? 😂 on the left side
My Great-Grand Father was there in the late teens to early 1920's. Not really a bragging right if you look up his name in Ancestry and get the documents. I wish I had a mugshot of him because I have no pictures at all, but they said many of the historical books where just pilfered, lost, damaged, who knows. His name was William Oscar Frame and any more info on him would be great.
Sounds like a perfect prison! Bring it back and make it a model for all of them!
How does that rehabilitate people??
Agreed!! Bring it back!! Prison should be a place normal people don't want to go too.
@@jakepophal985 rehabilitation does not work.
Treatment like this- solitary confinement- actually makes people more violent, not less. It also gives them PTSD - you never know what will set them off into a violent rage. Once PTSD sets in, it takes a lot of time and effort (read MONEY) to treat it to get it down to where the person can function in society again. Basically, you’re taking a possible nonviolent criminal and turning them into the most violent person possible. Think taking someone convicted of possessing marijuana and turning them into a cold blooded killer. Not really the desired outcome. Research has shown that that’s what actually happened to the inmates of the prison.
14:43 Mans head is so big his ears are in different timezones
Government neglect, this facility looks like good solid construction and it's a shame that they did not take care.
The prison system still use solitary confinement as a punishment.
This was a most impressive video. Thank you very much, sir.
Looks like a great place to make a movie. Also a great place to hide from zombies.
places like these do not need the bullshit ghost stories, if anything they get in the way of the much more fascinating, true stories of real life in the penitentiary
Agree!
I grew up there in the neighborhood back in the 80’s & 90’s
While most ppl wanted out of the prison we wanted in.
In the late 80’s you could scale the wall in the rear of the prison where they had a refrigeration building. From the roof there was a pole leading up the wall to the tower at 22nd. & brown.
At the time the city stored municipalities vehicles and streets department vehicles inside on the prisons grounds.
(We drove those vehicles all day inside the the perimeter of the yard.
I knew two ppl who fell off the wall into the prison back in the
Late 80’s.
Looks like it needs to reopen ASAP.
Omg I was just there during Halloween it’s so much fun
"Being alone with your thoughts"!?
Freddy Krueger wouldn't last 5 minutes in my head, before he runs for the hills screaming at the top of his head "f*ck that, I'm not mentally prepared for this kinda sh*t!"....😉😆😂
Literally Shawshank Redemption
MY GRAND DAD AND GRamma grew up on Brown 19th st 1920s mom born there. legend has sutton was coming out of manhole slick willy they were on way to school mamma was born in 48
Man... They don't make 'em like they used to. Just an opinion, but i feel prisons should be foreboding and frightening. Just looking at it should make you not want to end up there. Now, prisons just look like high schools.. Wonder if that's intentional?
Crazy.
I have some really cool photos from this place
Places like this are a good example of how many countries and the US in particular have a hard time coming to terms with both their history and current politics and culture. I'm glad to see it is now a museum, but to have this be a location for holiday celebrations and filming, some might consider distateful.
Great video 👍 thanks
This and the joliet prison got history together
... but the other guards call me "Vicky"...
I think it was this place that I first saw the ghost hunter show that caught that thing move towards the camera, then quickly move away, it shocked me, I didn't really believe in ghosts but since then the countless captures from the cameras everywhere world of today, proves to me ghosts are real.
I drive by there allot...it smells evil.
I've been told a scene from one of the Transformers movies was filmed in the prison
Jeeesus, looks like the setting for a Silent Hill game.
Any one else notice the tilted star on the menorah and are those snakes on it?
Coat of paint and some better ventilation and it'd make an amazing indoor/outdoor market and/or library and/or natural history museum.
just want to say, prison is not meant to be a nice place.
a friend of a friend served 10 months in a minimum security prison, and he described it more as a college dorm. it was open cell, almost like a bunch of cubicles in an office. there were recreational activities, entertainment and even arts and crafts. that's not prison.
in an episode of doctor who, the one where the 10th doctor meets Shakespeare, they visit an insane asylum, Shakespeare says something along the lines of, fear of this place kept me out of here when he was battling his own problems.
while I do not condone unjust punishment, for people like capone who caused untold trauma to society with his criminal enterprise, and even to major criminals today, they deserve the retribution that will be paid by going to a prison like that.
This here is a ready solution to the homeless crisis.
Could have just fed them to the bears.
Pennsylvania has bears, y'know.
Real life Shawshank
this place is pretty cool, i did the Halloween tour several years ago
Should’ve drug rehab for Kensington
Thank you.
Very interesting and well-produced documentary on how cruel humans can be to each other both in and out of prisons. None of the corporal punishment and other tactics of imposing solitary confinement come as a surprise to me. Everything was great up until you got to support for Morgan & Morgan legal services. I live in Los Angeles where every corner and highway taken shows innumerable billboards for lawyers...and now they're in your video. I can certainly understand how you need to obtain support for your ongoing professional videos, but really? Lawyers?
Grab that barber's chair! It's worth something.
Bro I been playing fucking pokemon go outside this thing for the better part of a year and ngl the gyms there are just an unethical as the prisons used to be
Have found the new Amazon Philly headquarters!
(Joke is that they've converted a prison into their offices in europe)
Heck, we need prison reform NOW with most prisons being little better than criminal factories, taking the non-violent felon and making him or her into a murderer!
👍👍
I am like number 193
A Brit designed this prison... that so happens to look like a Union Jack.
Open a wing back up for the Kensington wintering over tranq crew!
We've gone soft as a society. Prison isn't supposed to be a good and comfortable place. It is supposed to be a punishment. This kind of prison system needs to return.
Pennsylvania the keystone State
That’s a lot of expensive real estate. Why not tear it down for development?
Interesting place to put a prison
That's the problem isn't it? When you can't even describe history how can you not repeat it?,learn from it?
So… Philly has a homeless issue and a giant, empty building with ready made housing units?
I knew JESUS wasn't Real
Nowadays people are so soft you fart too hard and someone gets ptsd from it
My great-great grandfather hung himself there while serving time for shooting his son in-law during an argument of non payment of a loan. We didn't know anything about it until my aunt started doing genealogy on her and my dads fathers side of the family after she retired
That’s quite a story!