PRISON RECORDS
MANY TIMES WE HAVE FOUND THAT ONE OF THOSE SKELETONS IN THE FAMILY CLOSET WERE ONE OF OUR ANCESTORS IN PRISON. HERE YOU WILL FIND LINKS FOR KENTUCKY AND OTHER STATES TO WRITE FOR RECORDS.
A Bit of KY Prison Trivia
1799 Kentucky State Penitentiary in Frankfort is established.
1855 A new system of prison administration was devised under which the Frankfort penitentiary itself was leased to an entrepreneur for $6,000 to 12,000 a year. The entrepreneur housed, fed, and cared for the inmates and, in turn, leased out convict labor to business interests or employed inmates in manufacturing inside the prison. The system made fortunes for several families who leased the prison for contract labor from the lessee. Prisoners produced furniture, wagons, harness, shoes, skirts, and shirts. In the mist of the profit-making abuse of the prisoners reached stunning proportions. In 1873 nearly 10% of the inmate population died of scurvy and other diseases brought about by improper feeding.
1875-1900 Cost of feeding an inmate is less than 10 cents a day. Inmates slept on beds made of moss, jammed two each in cells 6 by 3 feet.
1880's The Penitentiary was again brought under administrative control of the state, with a state appointed, state-paid superintendent.
1884 Construction of Kentucky Branch Penitentiary in Eddyville, Ky. is begun. Construction took 6 years and approximately $420,000.00.
1888 A statue on parole is passed. Convicts who are serving their first term, have good conduct records, and are not sentenced for rape or incest are eligible. Murders must serve ten years prior to parole, and any parolees who did not leave the state were required to report to the Commissioner of the Sinking Fund every 6 months.
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Kentucky State Penitentiary The Kentucky State Penitentiary is located on KY 730 in what is known as Old Eddyville. Built over 100 years ago, this mammoth stone structure towers majestically over Lake Barkley. Affectionately referred to by natives as "The Castle On The Cumberland" it is a favorite among photographers and visitors to Old Eddyville.
KENTUCKY |
Federal Agencies and Institutions Addresses
| Bureau of Prisons 320 First St NW Washington, DC 20534 |
Mid-Atlantic Region: Junction Business Park 10010 Junction Dr Suite 100-N Annapolis, MD 20701 |
North Central Region: Gateway Complex Tower II 4Th and State, 8th Floor Kansas City, KS 66101-2492 |
| Northeast Region: US Customs House, 7th Floor 2nd and Chestnut Sts Philadelphia, PA 19106 |
South Central Region: 4211 Cedar Springs Rd Suite 300 Dallas, TX 75219 |
Southeast Region: 523 McDonough Blvd SE Atlanta, GA 30315 |
| Western Region: 7950 Dublin Blvd 3rd Floor Dublin, CA 94568 |
State and Local Agenices and Institutions
The states listed with a * means no pre-1900 records
| ALABAMA* State Department of Corrections Gorden Person Building, Third Floor 50 N Ripley St Montgomery, AL 36130 |
ALASKA* Department of Health and Social Services Board of Parole PO Box 110630 Juneau, AK 99811 |
ARKANSAS* Department of Corrections and Community Punishment Box 8707 Pine Bluff, AR 71611 |
| CALIFORNIA Department of Corrections 1515 S st PO Box 942883 Sacramento, CA 94283-0001 |
California State Prison at San Quentin San Quentin, CA 94964 (year 1852) |
California State Prison of Sacramento PO Box 29 Represa, CA 95671 |
| COLORADO |
State Department of Corrections 2862 S Circle Dr Ste 400 Colorado Springs, CO 80906-4195 |
Canon Correctional Facility Box 1010 Canon City, CO 81212 |
| CONNECTICUT |
Department of Correction 340 Capitol Ave Hartford, CT 06106-1494 |
Cybulski Correctional Institution PO Box 775 264 Bilton Rd Somers, CT 06071 |
| DELAWARE* Department of Corrections 80 Monrovia Ave Smyrna, DE 19977-1597 |
WASHINGTON, DC* Department of Corrections 1923 Vermont Ave NW Washington, DC 20001 |
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| FLORIDA |
Department of Corrections 2601 Blair Stone Rd Tallahassee, FL 32399-2500 |
Florida State Prison Box 747 Starke, FL 32091 |
| GEORGIA* Department of Corrections Floyd Building, Twin Towers E, Room 756 Martin Luther King Jr, Dr S.E. Atlanta, GA 30334 |
HAWAII* Department of Public Safely 919 Ala Moana Blvd Honolulu, HI 96814 |
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| IDAHO |
Department of Correction 500 S 10th State-House Mail Boise, ID 83720 |
Idaho State Correctional Institution Box 14 Bosie, ID 83707 |
| ILLINOIS |
Department of Corrections 1301 Concordia Court PO Box 19277 Springfield, IL 62794-9277 |
Menard Correctional Center Box 711 Menard, IL 62259 |
| Pontiac Correctional Center Box 99 Pontiac, IL 61764 |
Joliet Correctional Center Box 515 Joliet, IL 60432 |
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| INDIANA Department of Correction Indiana Government Center South 302 W Washington St, Room E334 Indianapolis, IN 46204-2278 |
Indiana State Prison Box 41 Michigan City, IN 46360 |
Indiana Boys School 501 W Main St Plainfield, IN 46168 |
| IOWA Department of Corrections Capital Annex 523 E. 12 St Des Moines, IA 50319-0001 |
The Men's Reformatory Box B Anamosa, IA 52205 |
Iowa State Penitentiary Box 316 Fort Madison, IA 52627 |
| KANSAS Department of Corrections Landon State Office Building, 4th Floor 900 SW Jackson Topeka, KS 66612-1284 |
Hutchinson Correctional Facility 500 S Reformatory Rd Box 1568 Hutchinson, KS 67504-1568 |
Lansing Correctional Facility Box 2 Lansing, KS 66043 |
| KENTUCKY |
Department of Corrections State Office Building Frankfort, KY 40601 |
Kentucky State Penitentiary Box 128 Eddyville, KY 42038-0128 |
| LOUISIANA |
Department of Public Safety and Corrections PO Box 94304, Capital Station Baton Rouge, LA 70804-9304 |
Louisiana State Penitentiary Angola, LA 70712 |
| MAINE Department of Corrections State House Station III Augusta, ME 04333 |
Maine State Prison Box A Thomaston, ME 04861 |
Maine Youth Center 675 Westbrook St South Portland, ME 04106 |
| MARYLAND |
Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services Division of Correction 6776 Reisterstown Rd Ste 311 Baltimore, MD 21215-2342 |
Maryland House of Correction Box 534 Jessup, MD 20794 |
| Maryland Penitentiary 954 Forrest St Baltimore, MD 21202 |
Cheltenham Youth Facility Cheltenham, MD 20623 |
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| MASSACHUSETTS Executive Office of Public Safety Department of Correction Saltonstall Office Building 100 Cambridge Boston, MA 02202 |
Bridgewater State Hospital 20 Administration Rd Bridgewater, MA 02324 |
Massachusetts Correctional Institution Box 00 West Concord, MA 01742 |
| MICHIGAN | Department of Corrections Grandview Plaza Building PO Box 30003 Lansing, MI 48909 |
Michigan Reformatory 1342 W Main St Ionia, MI 48846 |
| Adrian Training School Box 218 Adrian, MI 49221 (Juveniles) |
Marquette Branch Prison PO Box 779 Marquette, MI 49855 |
State Prison of Southern Michigan 4000 Cooper St Jackson, MI 49201 |
| MINNESOTA Department of Corrections |
Minnesota Correctional Facility-Red Wing 1079 Hwy 292 Red Wing, MN 55066 |
Minnesota Correctional Facility-St Cloud Box B 2305 Minnesota Blvd SE St Cloud, MN 56302 |
| MISSISSIPPI Department of Corrections 723 N President St Jackson, MS 39202-3097 |
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| MISSOURI | Department of Corrections PO Box 236 2729 Plaza Dr Jefferson City, MO 65102-0236 |
Jefferson City Correctional Center Box 597 Jefferson City, MO 65102 |
| Boonville Correctional Center PO Box 379 Boonville, MO 65233 |
Chillicothe Correctional Center 1500 W 3rd Chillicothe, MO 64601 |
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| MONTANA Department of Corrections and Human Services Corrections Division 1539 11th Ave Helena, MT 59620-1301 |
Montana State Prison 400 Conley Lake Rd Deer Lodge, MT 59722 |
Pine Hills School PO Box 1058 Miles City, MT 59301 (Juveniles) |
| NEBRASKA | Department of Correctional Services Box 94661 Lincoln, NE 68509-4661 |
Nebraska State Penitentiary Box 2500 Lincoln, NE 68502-0500 |
| NEVADA Department of Prison Box 7011 Carson City, NV 89702-7011 |
Nevada State Prison Box 607 Carson City, NV 89702 |
Nevada Youth Training Center Box 469 Elko, NV 89801 |
| NEW HAMPSHIRE Department of Corrections PO Box 769 Concord, NH 03302-0769 |
New Hampshire State Prison Box 14 Concord, NH 03301 |
New Hampshire Youth Development Center 1056 N River Rd Manchester, NH 03104-1998 |
| NEW JERSEY | Department of Corrections Whittlesey Rd, CN-863 Trenton, NJ 08625-0863 |
New Jersey State Prison CN-861 Trenton, NJ 08625 |
| NEW MEXICO | Corrections Department PO Box 27116 Santa Fe, NM 87502-0116 |
Penitentiary of New Mexico Box 1059 Santa Fe, NM 87504-1059 |
| NEW YORK | New York State Commission of Correction Department of Correctional Services State Office Building Campus Albany, NY 12226 |
Albion Correctional Facility 3595 State School Rd Albion, NY 14411 |
| Auburn Correctional Facility Box 618 135 State St Auburn, NY 13021 |
Clinton Correctional Facility PO Box 2000 Dannemora, NY 12929 |
Elmira Correctional Facility Box 500 Davis & Bancroft Sts. Elmira, NY 14902 |
| Fishkill Correctional Facility Box 307 Prospect St Beacon, NY 12508 |
Sing Sing Correctional Facility 354 Hunter St Ossining, NY 10562-5442 |
NEW YORK CITY New York City Department of Corrections 60 Hudson St New York, NY 10013-4393 |
| NORTH CAROLINA Department of Correction 214 W. Jones St Raleigh, NC 27603-1337 |
Division of Prisons 831 W Morgan St Raleigh, NC 27603 |
Central Prison 1300 Western Blvd Raleigh, NC 27606 |
| NORTH DAKOTA | Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation PO Box 1898 Bismarck, ND 58502-5521 |
North Dakota State Penitentiary Box 5521 Bismarck, ND 58502-5521 |
| OHIO | Department of Rehabilitation and Correction 1050 Freeway Dr N Columbus, OH 43229 |
Mansfield Correctional Institution 1150 N Main St PO Box 1368 Mansfield, OH 44901 |
| OKLAHOMA |
Department of Corrections 3400 Martin Luther King Jr Ave Oklahoma, OK 73136-0400 |
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| OREGON | Department of Corrections 2575 Center St NE Salem, OR 97310-0470 |
Oregon State Penitentiary 2605 State St Salem, OR 97310-0505 |
| PENNSYLVANIA | Department of Corrections Box 598 Camp Hill, PA 17011-0598 |
State Correctional Institution-Huntingdon 1100 Pike St Huntingdon, PA 16651-1112 |
| PHILADELPHIA Philadelphia Prison System 8201 State Rd Philadelphia, PA 19136 |
House of Correction 8001 State Rd Philadelphia, PA 19136 |
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| State Correctional Institution and Correctional Diagnostic and Classification Center Box 99901 Pittsburgh, PA 15233 |
Holmsburg Prison 8215 Torresdale Ave Philadelphia, PA 19136 |
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| RHODE ISLAND | Department of Corrections 40 Howard Ave Cranston, RI 02920 |
Rhode Island Training School 300 New London Ave Cranston, RI 02920 |
| SOUTH CAROLINA | Department of Corrections 4444 Broad River Rd Box 21787 Columbia, SC 29221 |
Wateree River Correctional Institution PO Box 189 Rembert, SC 29128 |
| SOUTH DAKOTA Department of Corrections 115 E Dakota Ave Pierre, SD 57501-3216 |
South Dakota State Penitentiary Box 5911 Sioux Falls, SD 57117-5911 |
South Dakota Training School Box 70 Plankinton, SD 57368-0070 |
| TENNESSEE Department of Correction Rachel Jackson State Office Building 320 Sixth Ave N Nashville, TN 37243-0465 |
Tennessee Prison for Women Stewarts Lane Nashville, TN 37243-0468 |
Brushy Mountain Prison PO Box 1000 Petros, TN 37845 |
| TEXAS | Department of Criminal Justice Institutional Division Box 99 Huntsville, TX 77342-0099 |
Huntsville Unit Box 99 Huntsville, TX 77342 |
| Jester Unit I, II, and III Horlen Rd Richmond, TX 77469 |
Jester Unit IV 2020 Imogene Rd Richmond, TX 77469 |
Wynne Unit PO Box 99 Huntsville, TX 77342 |
| UTAH | Department of Corrections 6100 S 300 E Salt Lake, UT 84107 |
South Point Facilities Box 250 Draper, UT 84020 |
| VERMONT | Agency of Human Services Department of Corrections 103 South Main St Waterbury, VT 05671-1001 |
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| VIRGINIA | State Department of Corrections Box 26963 6900 Atmore Dr Richmond, VA 23261-6963 |
Powhatan Correctional Center State Farm, VA 23160 |
| Beaumont Learning Center PO Box 491 Beaumont, VA 23014 |
Hanover Learning Center Hanover, VA 23069 |
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| WASHINGTON | Department of Corrections PO Box 41100 Olympia, WA 98504-1100 |
Washington State Penitentiary Box 520 Walla Walla, WA 99362-1065 |
| WEST VIRGINIA | Department of Public Safety Division of Corrections 112 California Ave, Building 4 Charleston, WV 25305 |
North Correctional Center Rd 2, Box 1 Moundsville, WV 26041 |
| West Virginia Industrial School for Boys Grafton, WV 26354 |
Industrial Home for Youth PO Box 7 Salem, WV 26375 |
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| WISCONSIN | Department of Corrections Box 7925 149 E Wilson St Madison, WI 53707-7925 |
Waupun Correctional Institution Box 351 Waupun, WI 53963-0351 |
| Green Bay Correctional Institution Box 19033 Green Bay, WI 54307-0351 |
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| WYOMING | Department of Corrections Herschler Building Cheyenne, WY 82002 |
Wyoming State Penitentiary Box 400 Rawlins, WY 82301 |