What sane person visits a state penitentiary on their day off? I do!
I believe that in another life, I was a detective. I am slightly obsessed with crime and solving puzzles. So, what better way to spend a day off than walking around a closed-down prison? How scary can it be?
We knew very little about Brushy Mountain before our visit. We had heard there was a restaurant on-site, the tour guides were former prisoners or guards, and the prison was no longer active. I mean, safety first, right?
When we arrived, we discovered that the tours were no longer led by a person. Instead, they gave us a device, headphones, and a map for a self-guided tour.
At first, we were disappointed. However, the self-guided tour ended up being one of the best parts of the experience.
Instead of spending one or two hours being pushed through each stop with a group of 15 to 20 people—all trying to see the same thing—we spent five hours exploring the property. If a particular stop was crowded, we waited until it cleared out. We could talk about what we found intriguing, surprising, or even a little alarming.
We never felt rushed. We could take in our surroundings and have discussions without holding anyone else up. Being able to explore at our own pace helped make this one of our best day trips.
Now, we did not tour for five straight hours. We took a break to eat lunch at the Warden’s Table.
The food was good and reasonably priced. From loaded nachos and beef brisket cheesesteaks to criminal caviar, we definitely left with full bellies—which turned out to be a good thing since we spent another three hours touring the property.
I thought we would spend a couple of hours walking around a closed-down prison, learn some random facts, and leave.
What I did not expect was how the place would make me feel. At times, walking through the empty cell blocks was terrifying. There was a creepiness in the air that was hard to explain.
There were also times when I was afraid we might accidentally get locked inside somewhere. The actual cell doors were secured shut, but rooms like the cafeteria and laundry room were rather intimidating. Isn’t it crazy how quickly your nerves can start to unravel when you put yourself in certain situations?
I also did not realize that Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary once housed some of the most dangerous criminals. Once I learned that little tidbit, the uneasy feeling grew even stronger. The sound of slamming doors grew louder in my head. I don’t want to get stuck in here.
Another hard reality check was learning that the prison remained operational until 2009. That was not very long ago!
Because the prison opened in 1896, I had imagined us walking back in time. I did not put the full timeline together until we were standing on the grounds and seeing everything for ourselves. Knowing that some of these stories happened during my lifetime added another layer of anxiety to the mix.
Brushy Mountain was also home to James Earl Ray for a stint—and it was the prison he escaped from. We stood in the same area where he made his great dash for freedom.
We stood outside his jail cell and saw some of his artwork. There is no history book that can replace that experience, feeling, or memory.
Cell Block D was probably the scariest part for me.
When we arrived, Curtis had wandered off to the bathroom and left me all alone! But being the strong woman I am, I knew I could handle it.
I wandered into the lobby area and started making my way toward the long hallways that make up the actual cell block—the part where the inmates were locked up.
Now, picture this: I had already walked through several large, rusty steel doors that were propped open. The entire time, I was praying the rust had not weakened whatever was holding them open and that none of those doors would slam shut behind me.
Then, out of nowhere, a huge black bird flew right past my face and disappeared down the hallway.
Needless to say, I was OUT!
I was not walking any farther, and I was definitely not going back inside.
When Curtis returned, he wanted to venture down the long hallway. I told him to go for it because I was done! At first, he made fun of me. Once he realized I was serious, he went to see it for himself.
Well...here is the video of Curtis making the walk I refused to take!
The stories from former prisoners and guards were engaging and held our attention. The living conditions offered a reality check on how prisoners lived and were treated. The artwork left behind by former prisoners was also astonishing. I never would have thought “prisoner” and “artist” belonged together in the same sentence, but some of the pieces were incredible.
I could tell you so much more about our trip, but if I tell you all the stories and history of the “pen,” why would you go?
Everyone needs to experience this place for themselves.
A Few Tips Before You Go
If you take a younger child with you, I would skip the video at the end. In the theater, you have the option to watch a short, 15-minute video about the prison. Even though much of the information repeats what you learned during the tour, the video is much more graphic.
Had I known what the video included, we would have skipped it.
As I mentioned, this is a self-guided tour. You can make the day as memorable—or as lame—as you want. If you rush through each stop, hit the play button, and immediately move on, you will miss a lot. Take your time, look around, and talk about what you are seeing.
If you homeschool your children, this is a field trip full of learning opportunities. We discovered that our daughter did not recognize James Earl Ray’s name. Since it was a self-guided tour, we could stop and explain who he was and why he was in prison—all while standing on the other side of the bars from where he slept.
Then, we walked over to see where and how he escaped. Once we got home, her interest had been sparked, and she wanted to learn more about the events that landed him there.
If you have the opportunity—or the gumption—to spend a day at the state pen, I recommend going. We learned so much and heard very few complaints from the youngest member of our group about being bored.
You do not need to reserve your tickets ahead of time, but here is a link to their website to get your tickets and see the hours of operations. Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary Events
Other than the video being a little too graphic for younger visitors, we give this day trip two thumbs up.
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