15 Haunted Prisons with Chilling Backstories
Before security cameras and high-tech alarms, thick stone walls and cold iron bars were meant to keep danger locked inside. But in some prisons, the danger never really left.
These are places where violence, fear, and death left something behind—something people still claim to hear, feel, and sometimes even see. If you’re the type who likes ghost stories with a side of real history, this is going to be a wild ride.
Let’s step behind the bars and meet the stories that refuse to stay locked up.
Eastern state penitentiary
This old Philadelphia prison wasn’t just spooky—it was the blueprint for solitary confinement. Prisoners were kept alone in tiny stone cells with almost no human contact.
Some went insane from the isolation, and others died in terrible conditions. Today, people hear whispers, footsteps, and even see shadowy figures moving through the crumbling halls.
Staff say the building almost “breathes,” like it remembers every scream.
Alcatraz federal penitentiary
Surrounded by icy San Francisco Bay waters, escape from Alcatraz was nearly impossible. But what’s harder to escape now are the strange sounds that still echo through its empty cells.
Former guards and visitors have reported crying, cold spots, and even ghostly figures in old uniforms. Cell 14D, used for solitary, is said to be the most haunted, with visitors often leaving in a hurry.
One man even died in there claiming a creature was trying to kill him.
Like Go2Tutors’s content? Follow us on MSN.
Pentridge prison
This Melbourne, Australia prison housed murderers and gangsters for over a century. Some prisoners were hanged in the prison’s dark corners, and many believe their restless spirits never left.
Locals report ghostly voices and doors that slam on their own. Tour guides say the energy changes the moment you walk in, like the walls don’t like being disturbed.
Some even refuse to enter certain areas alone.
Old Charleston jail
Used from 1802 to 1939, this South Carolina jail saw pirates, war criminals, and brutal executions. But it’s the ghost of Lavinia Fisher, America’s first female serial killer, who really haunts the place.
Her final words before hanging were, “If you have a message for the devil, give it to me—I’ll deliver it.” Today, people report her spirit stomping, screaming, and even touching visitors who get too close.
Shepton Mallet prison
This English prison started in 1610 and has seen public executions, hard labor, and secret hangings during World War II. Its underground tunnels are filled with damp air and eerie silence.
Some visitors claim to hear heavy boots pacing when no one is around. The most chilling thing? Guards reportedly refused to patrol alone at night.
They said something always followed them in the dark.
Like Go2Tutors’s content? Follow us on MSN.
Ohio State Reformatory
Famous for its appearance in The Shawshank Redemption, this place in Mansfield is even scarier in real life. Known for harsh punishments and overcrowding, it saw over 200 deaths inside its walls.
Ghost hunters say the old chapel is alive with energy, and some even hear voices chanting prayers. One visitor claimed to feel an icy hand grip his shoulder during a tour.
No one was behind him.
Tower of London
While technically a fortress, this English site served as a royal prison for centuries—and it’s soaked in blood. Anne Boleyn was beheaded here, and her ghost is said to walk the grounds carrying her own head.
Guards have also reported strange lights and ghostly shapes in the White Tower. One guard even quit after seeing a figure float through a locked door.
The place doesn’t just look old—it feels heavy with history.
Wyoming Frontier Prison
Built in 1901, this Rawlins prison held violent criminals in freezing cold cells. Inmates were executed in a “death house” using a mysterious machine that still gives people nightmares.
Tour guides say the execution chamber gives off a smell of burning and metal, even though it hasn’t been used in decades. Cold spots and sudden dizziness are common complaints from visitors who dare to enter.
Like Go2Tutors’s content? Follow us on MSN.
Port Arthur penal settlement
Located in Tasmania, Australia, this prison was meant to break spirits, not just bodies. Inmates faced brutal punishment and emotional torture.
Some prisoners lost their minds from being locked in total silence for days. Today, tourists report hearing weeping in empty cells and footsteps that stop suddenly behind them.
The site is so active, it’s considered one of the most haunted in the Southern Hemisphere.
Newgate prison (Dublin)
Before it was torn down, this Irish prison was known for public hangings and dreadful living conditions. Some say the screams of the innocent and the guilty never left.
After it was closed, nearby buildings reported strange noises at night and items being moved on their own. Even the local police avoided patrolling the area after dark, calling it cursed ground.
Joliet Correctional Center
This massive Illinois prison was once home to hardened criminals—and according to some, it still is. Ghosts of former inmates have been seen pacing in their old cells, while strange moaning sounds travel down the empty corridors.
Some staff reported getting locked in rooms that had no working locks. Cameras also pick up shadows where no one is standing.
Like Go2Tutors’s content? Follow us on MSN.
Bang Kwang Central Prison
Known as Thailand’s “Big Tiger,” this place is feared for more than just its harsh conditions. Executions were common, and many prisoners died in isolation.
Locals say the prison is cursed, with spirits roaming the halls at night. Guards report hearing whispering in languages they don’t understand.
Even after renovations, the bad energy never left.
Mansfield Training School and Hospital
Though not a prison in the usual sense, this Connecticut institution held people with disabilities under harsh conditions, often against their will. Stories of abuse and neglect turned it into something more like a prison than a hospital.
Paranormal teams report hearing children crying and doors slamming shut without warning. One team caught a shadow figure darting past the old gym.
Locals say the land itself feels “off.”
Boise Old Penitentiary
Operating from 1872 to 1973, this Idaho prison saw riots, hangings, and even a deadly fire. One inmate, executed after a failed escape, is said to still wander the solitary cellblock.
Tourists describe hearing chains dragging behind them, even when alone. In the women’s ward, a spirit named “Ida” reportedly still slams doors when annoyed.
Security footage has even caught strange flashes in pitch-dark rooms.
Like Go2Tutors’s content? Follow us on MSN.
Camp Sumter (Andersonville prison)
Used during the Civil War, this Georgia prison held Union soldiers in horrible conditions. Over 13,000 died from disease, starvation, and neglect.
Today, the site is a National Historic Site, but visitors speak of an eerie stillness. Some claim to hear coughing and groaning in the open fields.
Park rangers have even heard their names whispered when no one is around.
Echoes that still walk the halls
Prisons are supposed to be about control, justice, and safety. But these places seem to have collected more than just inmates over the years.
They hold onto emotions—rage, fear, sorrow—and those feelings don’t fade easily. Whether or not one believes in ghosts, there’s no denying that something lingers in the silence of these abandoned halls.
The past, especially when soaked in pain, has a strange way of staying close.
More from Go2Tutors!
- 16 Historical Figures Who Were Nothing Like You Think
- 12 Things Sold in the 80s That Are Now Illegal
- 15 VHS Tapes That Could Be Worth Thousands
- 17 Historical “What Ifs” That Would Have Changed Everything
- 18 TV Shows That Vanished Without a Finale
Like Go2Tutors’s content? Follow us on MSN.
