The prison was built in stages over many years, mostly by the convicts themselves, a good example of "hard labor". The present cell block was built in 1896, the prison wall was extended
north in 1911 and a 400-man cell block built within in 1912, a theatre was built in 1918-1919, the administration building in 1930-1931, and dormitories, a storage building and a visitor centre were built between 1910 and 1930. A maximum security building, also used as a women's ward was built circa 1918.
Self sufficient, the prison had its own water well and water tower, power house, hospital and school.
The prison was still in use when entered in the national register on September 3rd, 1976, but was decommissioned by the end of the decade.
The Powell County Museum has online a
great article on the prison.
Boedecker Building
The Boedecker Building was constructed in 1950 as a dorm for male correctional officers. It later served various prison entities including the Board of Pardons, the ID Bureau, the Records Division, as the print shop and a laundry distribution center.
The building was first adapted with disciplinary cells to hold female inmates in 1966. Starting in 1970, women were processed here and contracted to other institutions in and out of state. No female inmates were processed or housed in Deer Lodge after 1977. The current women's prison is located in Billings.
Today the building is the home of Powell County Museum.
From the sign