One of the old guard towers at the Old Fort Madison State Prison, still in use. Courtesy: Fort Madison Prison Memory Project
The New State Prison in Fort Madison should, hopefully, be opened before the end of the year. When the troubled facility finally does open, and then promptly close, it’s doors to prisoners, the state of Iowa will be abandoning the old prison, a 176 year old facility first built in 1839–before Iowa was even a state.
A group of Fort Madison residents met Wednesday at the new Iowa State Penitentiary to ensure that the old prison could be put to good use. Fort Madison Tourism and Marketing Coordinator Jean Peiton says that the community has pitched some good ideas.
“A haunted prison…a convention center, history tours, education tours, training for the Jr. Colleges and the Universities in the area” said Peiton.
As well as some…slightly more ambitious ideas.
“Some of the weirder ones are a bed and breakfast, a casino, renting out jail cells so people can stay in them overnight, botanical gardens,” Peiton told KBUR, “It’s not that those ideas aren’t feasible, it’s just probably not the easiest or most effective route to use it.”
Professors from both the University of Iowa and Iowa State University made the trip to Fort Madison to discuss the steps necessary to save the prison. ISU architecture professor Julie Stevens says that the work is time-sensitive.
“We know that some aspects of this project are time sensitive.” Stevens said, “Once the heating, cooling, and lights are shut down that building is going to start degrading immediately.”
The first steps were taken at the meeting in forming a steering committee for the project. If you would like to donate your time to the project, now organized as a 501 c 3 non-profit, or would just like to throw out an idea, contact Jean Peiton at (319) 372-7700.
