Old Idaho Penitentiary

The names Harry Orchard and Diamondfield Jack still echo through the halls of the Old Idaho Penitentiary, a fascinating Boise tourist attraction that offers one of the most informative prison tours in the West. The cornerstone of the "Old Pen" was set in 1870. The last prisoners were moved from the prison in 1973. Built of sandstone quarried by prisoners sentenced to hard labor, the prison is open to visitors to walk through the courtyards, cells, gallows and the "coolers" where prisoners were sentenced to solitary confinement. Visitors can also see the Museum of Electricity and the Idaho Transportation Museum within the walls. The Idaho Botanical Garden is located nearby.


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