1907/1959 Women's Prison/Maximum Security - Deer Lodge, MT
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T0SHEA
N 46° 23.587 W 112° 44.221
12T E 366455 N 5139192
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 1907 building originally built to house women, since demolished.
Waymark Code: WMMTKW
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.
This is the area where the building once stood
1907/1959 Women's Prison/Maximum Security
In 1878, the first woman was incarcerated in Montana. She was originally held in the same cell house as the men, on the third floor of the Federal Building. When joined by another female in 1879, it soon became apparent that a separate women's facility was necessary. Through the years, a variety of buildings were used to house the women. In 1907, this building was constructed as the Women's Prison. It contained two large dormitory rooms, a kitchen/dining area, laundry and matron's quarters. During the entire time women were held at the Old Montana Prison, there were no more than ten women inmates at any time.
After the 1959 earthquake, prison officials converted the women's facility into a maximum security unit. Twenty-four high security, disciplinary cells were constructed including two restraining cells with slide bars and two black box cells for extreme cases.
The women inmates were moved into a building across Main Street. Today, the women's prison is located in Billings, Montana.
From the sign