Tuesday, May 3, 2016

Views From the Tower

The New Guard Tower, Eastern State Penitentiary 

Last week I shared behind the scenes 
still shots of filming taking place at this location. 
But I was also able to snap a few images 
here and there on the sly.

Radiating Cell Blocks From the Tower

The idea of a penitentiary was birthed in the home of Ben Franklin and
it was a whole new concept for prisons.

The Penitentiary Entrance Before The Philadelphia Skyline

In its day this was the Taj Mahal of prisons. 
Each prisoner enjoyed his own cell with vaulted ceiling and skylight, 
flush toilet, and central heating 
compared to the White House
where President Jackson 
did not have running water 
and heated with coal stoves.

View of the Old Tower and Philadelphia

But Taj Mahal 
did not last.  

Guard Tower in Black and White

Today you can tour the penitentiary 
and learn the thought process that led to building this structure for prisoners. 
It is also a pretty cool place just to see. 

Click to view my gallery on 

The penitentiary is located at 
2027 Fairmount Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19130





7 comments:

Tamar SB said...

Well I learned something! I've heard it's so cool to see.

MadSnapper said...

your photos take something horrible and make it into art.. i really like that first one of the tower throught the grate and the building looks beautiful in your photos... i did not know any of this information.. the only prisons i know about are in the movies.

Wayne said...

It's so cool that you got access to the roof, those sight are killer.

Chere Mama said...

The guard tower in black and white is a really striking photo. Wonderful!

jabblog said...

The guard tower looks like a lighthouse - there must be a moral there.

Sarah Huizenga said...

Thank you for another behind the scenes look at this marvelous place.

Unknown said...

Fascinating but frightening, I like the second shot of the rooftops...