Eastern State celebrates 35 years of Halloween

The 35th anniversary of the Halloween scare event at Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia arrives this year. The facility features five haunted house sets, soundtracks, and special effects. These seasonal attractions generate revenue for the institution's preservation efforts.

Eastern State operated for 142 years before closing its doors in 1971. It opened in 1821 on an 11-acre plot in the Fairmount neighborhood. British architect John Haviland designed the building. His radial layout placed a central watchtower to provide a 360-degree view of all cells. The design aimed to maximize isolation and surveillance.

The penitentiary was built to hold 250 people but constantly expanded. It served as the first institutional penitentiary in the world. The facility utilized a method known as The Pennsylvania System. This approach relied on extreme isolation to encourage reform. Inmates spent nearly 24 hours a day alone in their cells for the first seven decades of operation.

Prisoners moved through the facility wearing hoods or masks to maintain anonymity. Their only human contact came from guards, wardens, and a moral instructor. These instructors were often members of the church. They recorded data on inmates' disposition and demographics. The goal was for prisoners to repent, reflect, and reform.

Criticism of the system emerged early. English author Charles Dickens visited the site and described the treatment of inmates as unnatural solitude. He noted that even a dog would rust away beneath its influence. The facility held a high volume of children of color. John Maxfield, an 11-year-old African American boy, was sentenced for arson in 1840. His moral instructor described him as apparently idiotic. Maxfield served five years and was reincarcerated later for larceny.

Elizabeth Harris, a 16-year-old African American girl, was sent to the prison in 1846 for larceny. Her moral instructor noted she seemed simple and imposed upon. She died in prison less than a year later. The staff recorded that her mind was possibly affected. In 1913, the prison abandoned the Pennsylvania System for a more integrated style. This change allowed for shared recreational areas and dining halls. The facility was renamed the State Correctional Institution at Philadelphia in 1953.

The city purchased the abandoned prison from the state for $400,000 in 1980. A group called the Eastern State Task Force began fundraising by offering tours of the halls. They introduced a Halloween experience originally called Terror Behind Walls. The event was renamed Halloween Nights a few years later. Tour guide Ben Bookman stated that the prison is not claimed to be haunted. He emphasized that the staff respects the lives of the people who were incarcerated there.