Prisons of Canon City

Images of America: Colorado

by Victoria R. Newman, Museum of Colorado Prisons

Canon City sits in a geological bowl surrounded by the Rocky Mountains and the Sangre de Cristo mountain range. Historically, it has been known as the prison capital of the world, with eight -- soon to be nine -- state prisons in the area and four federal facilities located 11 miles away in Florence. The first prison in Canon City was built in 1868, before Colorado became a state, and was opened in 1871. Originally known as the Colorado Territorial Penitentiary, it is currently called the Colorado Territorial Correctional Facility and holds approximately 800 male inmates. Canon City has grown up around the prisons, and the area's colorful history is defined by daring prison breaks, infamous inmates, such as the Colorado cannibal Alferd Packard, and by the stories of the inmates and employees who have been part of the prison system.

Genres: Nonfiction

128 pages, Paperback

First published March 17, 2008

Reviews

[Lesley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cañon City is the closest place of any population to my very low populated county. The prison history is great and I say hey to El Chapo every time I drive through hough he is in the Federal Complex outside of Florence and this book consists of state prisons.