1895 Dining Room, Hospital, Women's Section - Deer Lodge, MT
Posted by: 
T0SHEA
N 46° 23.585 W 112° 44.214
12T E 366464 N 5139189
This is one of several history signs within the old Montana State Prison, each of which which relates a small aspect of the history of the prison. This sign tells us of the Dining Room and Hospital building, since demolished.
Waymark Code: WMMTKJ
Location: Montana, United States
Date Posted: 11/03/2014
Views: 1
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, reprinted below.
1895 Dining Room, Hospital, Women's Section
Warden Frank Conley moved many facility operations into one building. This multi-use, two-story building housed the prison's store room, butcher shop, tailor and shoe shop, blacksmith, tin and carpenter shop, wash house, and kitchen.
The north wing of the building was segregated to house female inmates. The first floor of the north wing had three rooms. A staircase led to three more rooms and a bathroom on the second floor. However, there was no separate recreation yard for females. The women seldom left the building.
From the SOURCE