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Prison Museums You Can Visit Across The US

With over 100,000 prisons and jails around the globe, historic jail cells and prison museums have become a huge draw for tourists, and the US is no different – the states has over a dozen historic prisons to discover. From Alcatraz Island’s remote location off the shores of San Francisco to Eastern State Penitentiary’s famous haunted cells, learn about the histories and tales that characterize the past of these seven U.S. prisons.

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Alcatraz, California

Alcatraz is reputed to have housed some of the most dangerous prisoners of the 20th century, including mobster Al Capone and gangster Alvin Karpowicz ; referred to as ‘the prison system’s prison,’ Alcatraz received the most difficult inmates. Built on an island off the coast of San Francisco, ‘The Rock,’ as it was nicknamed, made for a challenging escape, although over a dozen attempts were made – none of which were successful. Alcatraz was originally built in the 1850s as a U.S. military fortress and housed military prisoners until 1933, when it was renovated as a maximum-security prison. Alcatraz could hold 260–275 prisoners during its time of operation, less than one percent of the entire federal inmate population, but officially closed its doors in 1963 due to its high operating costs.

Eastern State Penitentiary, Pennsylvania

Eastern State Penitentiary (ESP) was part of a controversial movement in the early 1800s that advocated the use of solitary confinement and hard labor to alter the behavior of inmates. Designed in a ‘radial-style’ floor plan, ESP was one of the most costly buildings of its time, with vaulted ceilings, skylights, and 253 cells, each with its own toilet, running water, and heat. The layout and practices at ESP were so popular that they were replicated in over 300 other prisons worldwide; by the early 1930s, however, the prison abandoned the solitary confinement system, replacing it with other severe forms of punishment. Operating from 1829–1971, the prison held some of the nation’s most infamous criminals, including Al Capone (before his time at Alcatraz) and Willie Sutton ; today, it’s considered one of the most haunted buildings in the world.

Sing Sing Prison, New York

Home to the first electric chair (‘Old Sparky’), the famous Babe Ruth baseball game , and some of the nation’s most notorious criminals, like Albert Fish and David Berkowitz , Sing Sing is one of America’s most famous prisons. Built by 100 prisoners from another local prison, Sing Sing was one of the most impressive prisons of its kind upon its completion in 1828. Originally modeled after Captain Elam Lynds’ ‘silent system’ – the use of ‘hard work, community activity and silent reflection’ to alter inmate behavior – the prison eventually moved to a more modern approach that used sports to teach discipline, introduced by Warden Lewis Lawes . While the prison still holds more than 1,500 inmates today, plans for turning the prison’s 1939 power plant into a 22,000-square-foot museum are in the making. Visit the museum in the meantime, located in The Ossining Historical Society Museum .

Ohio State Reformatory, Ohio

The Ohio State Reformatory , also known as the Mansfield Reformatory, was constructed between 1886 and 1910 to act as an ‘intermediate penitentiary’, or the half-way point between the Boys Industrial School and the Ohio Penitentiary. In the mid-1800s, the land was originally used as Civil War training grounds; in 1884, plans for the new prison were approved by the state. Designed by Levi T. Scofield, the reformatory featured Victorian and Romanesque architectural styles, believed to encourage inmates to get in touch with their spiritual side. In 1990, the Boyd Consent Decree deemed the prison overcrowded and unsanitary – over 200 inmates had died during its operation – forcing it to close its doors. Today, the prison operates as a museum, and has been included in many famous films like The Shawshank Redemption ( 1994).

West Virginia State Penitentiary, West Virginia

After separating from Virginia at the height of the Civil War, West Virginia lacked many public institutions, including a prison. After repeated denials, the West Virginia Legislature finally purchased the land for the West Virginia State Penitentiary in 1886. Completed using prison labor in 1887, the prison’s design featured stone walls and Gothic architectural elements like turrets and battlements, modeled after a prison in Illinois , and included a hospital and chapel, adding a school and library later on. There were other services, like a carpentry shop and bakery, that provided jobs for inmates, making the prison self-sufficient. Despite its good conditions at the turn of the century, the prison went into a state of decline: there were over 36 homicides, a prison break in 1979, and a riot in 1986. The prison was ordered to shut down by the Supreme Court in 1986; it officially closed its doors in 1995. It was listed as one of the US Department of Justice’s Top Ten Most Violent Correctional Facilities and played host to 94 executions from 1899–1959: 85 by hanging and nine by electric chair. It is also considered one of America’s most haunted prisons.

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Old Idaho Penitentiary, Idaho

Old Idaho Penitentiary , once known as the Territorial Prison, was constructed in 1872 as a single-cell house; over the years, the prison expanded to include several buildings, as well as a 17-foot-high wall surrounding the complex. Over 101 years, until it closed in 1973, the Old Idaho Penitentiary received over 13,000 inmates, 215 of them women, and housed infamous convicts like Harry Orchard and Lyda ‘Lady Bluebeard’ Southard . The prison, however, was known for having unsuitable living conditions, and many inmates responded to these conditions with riots in 1971 and 1973. After its closing in 1973, the prison was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Yuma Territorial Prison, Arizona

Yuma Territorial Prison , now a historic state park , opened its doors in 1876, and its first inmates were seven men who were responsible for constructing the prison. During its 33 years of operation, the prison housed 3,069 prisoners, 29 of them women, and despite its infamous reputation, it is said to have had humane conditions – prisoners made hand-crafted items that were sold at Sunday public markets and they received regular medical attention; the prison also had one of the first public libraries in the territory, where prisoners learned how to read and write. No executions took place here, but over 26 inmates escaped and over 100 died (most from tuberculosis). By the turn of the century, the prison was overcrowded, so a new facility was built in Florence, Arizona , and the prison officially ceased operations in 1909.

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Go explore: Prison history in the city of York

For most, prison history in york begins and ends with a trip to the castle museum ..

York County Gaol, built 1705, now the York Prison Museum

And why not? For nearly 1,000 years York Castle was an important site of incarceration. From c.1300, criminals awaiting trial at the Spring and Summer Assizes, held at the Castle, were accommodated in cells on the site.

Former Female Prison, now York Castle Museum

In 1705, a new county gaol for debtors and those accused of felonies and serious misdemeanours came into use. A Female Prison, to keep the women separate from the men, was added in 1780, and in 1835 a new county gaol, which later became a local prison ( HMP York ) was built on the site.

This last addition was, in 1929, demolished. The Female Prison was turned into a museum of social history in the 1930s, becoming home to the famous Victorian street, Kirkgate. The cells in the 18th-century gaol, however, were later turned into a prison museum.

York Prison Museum: Dick Turpin and prisoners’ graffiti

Prisoner graffiti on display in the York Prison Museum

There is a lot to explore in the cells, including prisoner graffiti and even an original cell-door. Visitors are introduced to some of the most famous inmates – including legendary highwayman Dick Turpin – as well as prison staff through larger-than-life talking images. York Castle Prison is certainly well worth a visit!

The legendary Dick Turpin, brought back to life for visitors in the cells of York Prison Museum

However, there are other sites that are also worth exploring if you have an interest in York’s penal past. The first of these is inside the Castle Museum. In Kirkgate, you will find a reconstruction of a late Victorian city police station complete with cell.

Police Station with cell in Kirkgate, York Castle Museum

The iron bed looks very uncomfortable! But the size of the cell is of interest – it’s quite large. It is a good reminder that many criminal and disorderly characters could be squeezed into a single cell while the police officers waited for the next magistrate to become available.

The Little Ease Prison and the severed heads

The Richard III Experience at Monk Bar also includes a prison cell, but this one was actually used. In 1577 the Bar was used to accommodate the Little Ease Prison, one of several temporary custodial facilities established in the city to cope with an increasing number of recusants – i.e. rebellious relic-rescuing Catholics!

Doorway to the prison cell of Little Ease Prison, Monk Bar

In 1583-4, Margaret Luetie and 19-year-old Alice Bowman spent eleven weeks imprisoned in Little Ease having been accused of stealing the severed heads of two martyrs from the bridge on which they were displayed. It would not have been a comfortable experience.

Inside the prison cell at Monk Bar. Note – the Princes in the Tower were never held here!

The room identified as a former prison cell in Monk Bar could be described as small, at best. But at least it had a toilet, or, as the sign says, ‘garderobe’!

Toilet facilities in the cell at Monk Bar

The Shambles

The formation of a new borough police force in York led to the creation of police stations in the city. We know that at least one of these was erected near the Shambles in Fish Market , which is now called Silver Street, in about 1841. The station had five cells for prisoners, one on the ground floor and the others on the first floor. However, when the prison inspector visited shortly after, he was less than impressed. The cells, he complained, had no toilet facilities, no apparatus for warming, and no adequate ventilation.

When he returned two years later, little had changed. ‘The inconvenience and filthy condition of the cells when crowded’, he wrote, ‘and the unwholesome odour which pervades the whole building, as described by the police, are such as to induce me again to call the attention of the Watch Committee to this point.’

Silver Street, formerly Fish Market, the site of 19th-century police lock-ups

Ironically, Silver Street today has become home to a row of public toilets, a useful convenience for the many visitors who come to see the famous Shambles today.

Micklegate’s wooden stocks

Our last relic of York’s penal past can be found at the Holy Trinity Church on Micklegate . From the 16th century, wooden stocks stood in the churchyard and were used both for the restraint of accused criminals and, until 1858, for the punishment of those responsible for minor crimes or creating a nuisance. The stocks in the churchyard today are a replica of the 18th-century stocks now kept inside the church.

Stocks in the churchyard at Holy Trinity Church on Micklegate

During its long history, York had many more custodial facilities than those mentioned in this short piece. All have been demolished and little if any trace remains.

Toft Green, site of the former York City House of Correction , famous for its brutal treadmill! Now the chosen site for luxury apartments…

More information on 19th century York prisons, including information on the sites on which they once stood, can be found by searching the 19th Century Prisons database .

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If so, we’d love to hear about it. Tell us Your Story , give us feedback , or get in touch . We are particularly interested in pictures you might have taken, and in your impressions and observations of the building and surrounding area. Perhaps you have some tips for other visitors who are keen to explore prison history sites.

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York County Prison Inmate Visitation

Search for an inmate in york county, york county prison.

Address: 3400 Concord Road York, PA 17402-9007 Phone: 717 840-7580

Schedule a Visit with an Inmate at the York County Prison

The York County Prison believes in the importance of their inmates having an opportunity to have visits from family and friends. When an inmate is released he or she needs to return home, and closeness to their family is one of the strongest reasons that keeps them from getting in trouble again.

One way that York County Prison is able to accomplish this is with on-site visitation, and video visitation using gettingout .

The benefits of inmate visitation are:

• It keeps inmates happy.
• Allows the inmates to stay in touch with friends, family and children.
• It is used as a way to control bad behavior, as inmates could lose this privilege if they act out.

For more information on scheduling visits, call the facility at 717 840-7580 , sign up with gettingout , or scroll down for a complete section of Visiting Hours, Signing up and Registering with gettingout , and Frequently Asked Questions and Answers, including dress codes, rules and guidelines.

Inmate Visiting Hours at the York County Prison

York County Prison ON-SITE VISITATION SCHEDULES

• All visitors must be on an active inmate visiting list and the visit must be pre-approved.
• All on-site visits must be scheduled in-advance here .
• Visits can be scheduled up to seven days in advance, but no later than 24 hours in advance.
• Every housing unit has its own specific visitation schedule. 
• Former inmates cannot visit the jail for six(6) months after their release.
• Children age 13 and under are ONLY allowed to visit during 'Children's Visiting Hours' (to view, scroll down to the bottom of the following schedules). 

GENERAL POPULATION - INMATE VISITATION SCHEDULE

PROTECTIVE CUSTODY & JUVENILES VISITATION SCHEDULES

Children's (under age 14) Visitation hours are:

General Population Residents

• 4:30 - 7:30 pm (Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday) - Female visiting area
• 4:30 - 7:30 pm (Sunday thru Saturday) - Main Male visiting area
• 4:30 - 7:30 pm (Sunday, Tuesday, Friday, Saturday) - Former Immigration visiting area

Protective Custody (Male & Female Residents)

• 4:30 - 7:30 pm (Monday and Thursday) - Female visiting area
• 4:30 - 7:30 pm (Wednesday and Friday) - Main Male visiting area
• 4:30 - 7:30 pm(Monday and Wednesday) - Former Immigration visiting area

Individuals who wish to visit with a resident on Protective Custody status may not enter the prison earlier than 15 minutes prior to scheduled time. Segregation Visits (Male & Female Residents)  (Intensive Custody Unit, Behavior Adjustment Unit, Administrative Housing, and Pre-Hearing Disciplinary)

• 4:30 - 7:30 pm (Monday and Friday) - Main Male visiting area
• 4:30 - 7:30 pm (Wednesday and Thursday) - Former Immigration visiting area

SEGREGATION VISITS SCHEDULE (Intensive Custody, Behavior Adjustment, Administrative Housing, Pre-trial Disciplinary)

WORK RELEASE CENTER VISTATION SCHEDULE

Visitation - 'At Jail' and Remote Video Visits

York county prison uses gettingout  for their remote video visitation and/or visit scheduling.  there are three ways to remotely visit your inmate: 1.  using the gettingout/gtl kiosk at the jail. 2. using your computer from home. 3. using your phone on the gettingout or gtl apps..

How it Works with GettingOut 1.   Register an account . 2.  Select York County Prison 3. Choose either an INMATE ACCOUNT or FRIENDS & FAMILY ACCOUNT.    

• **NOTE** Friends and Family must have funds in their "Friends & Family Account" to respond to inmate messages. 
• If you deposit money online in the INMATE ACCOUNT, than they have the freedom to spend the money on visits or phone calls to anyone, or any other communications services available at York County Prison.
• With the FRIENDS & FAMILY ACCOUNT, you control all communication services such as phone calls, video visits and messaging. Your inmate can only call the phone number you want.

4. You will then receive prompts to validate both your identity and phone number . 5.  Again, choose your inmate's facility, then type their name and select your inmate.

GettingOut will then guide you through the steps needed to arrange your remote visit.

Customer Service for GettingOut If you have any questions, you can call them at 866-516-0115 . GettingOut online contact form Frequently Asked Questions The GettingOut App is available on Google Play and Apple Store .

Visitation Options, Hours, Schedules & Rules

Visitation times and schedules for remote visitation with an inmate at York County Prison with  GettingOut  are available to you after logging in and selecting the inmate you wish to visit with.

* Visitation schedules are subject to change. * The actual visiting hours vary depending on the following factors:

• Whether or not there are restrictions in place due to COVID or other factors such as security issues.
• The day of the week.
• Where the inmate is housed.
• The inmate's sex.
• Whether or not it is a Holiday.

* Each inmate is allowed one or two visits (or unlimited visits!), ranging from 15 minutes to one hour in length each week. * Inmates with special privileges may be allowed additional visits. * If you are visiting from another state or traveling a great distance, York County Prison may allow you an extended visitation. Call 717 840-7580 to ask for special consideration. * Call 717 840-7580 to ask about normal visiting hours at the jail, and procedures for scheduling a visit other than video visitation.

Visit an Inmate by video who is in the York County Prison

Can i visit an inmate in york county prison custody.

Yes, York County Prison, as well as all jails, allows you to visit an inmate.

By federal law, every jail must make provisions for offenders in custody, whether they are pretrial or convicted and sentenced, to receive visits from friends or family. 

Every state has their own policies regarding the amount of time that a jail must provide offenders in their custody, and then every facility gets to set their own rules, number of times, schedules, etc.   Some jails only allow 30 minutes a month. Others as much as an hour every day.

Before visiting, your inmate will have to have put you on an ‘inmate visitor’s list.' Jails can limit this approved list to as few as five people to as many as twenty.

The jail will most likely run a targeted background check on you, checking for outstanding warrants, criminal convictions and other red flags that may indicate to them that you could be a problem for the jail, a bad influence on the inmate or just be someone whose past puts you in violation of their policies.

There are three different types of visitation: •    Video visitation  •    In-person non-contact visitation •    Contact visitation

For security and staffing reasons, many jails have switched to video visitation only. Video visitation, also referred to as remote visitation, is monitored and recorded by the facility. Video visits can either take place using kiosks in the jail’s lobby, from your computer at home, or using an app on your phone.

Most jails, now that the COVID pandemic is behind us, have gone back to ‘in-person non-contact visitation’ even if they have also retained the video visitation programs. In-person visitation takes place in a booth of sorts, with a thick plastic shield separating the inmate and their visitor. Communication is done using old-fashioned telephone receivers like you see in phone booths.

Contact visitation between inmates and visitors in jails is rare. New York is one state that allows this. In a few other states, inmates who have been sentenced for non-violent offenses and are close to being released, may sometimes be allowed contact visits with special permission. A contact visit allows the inmate and visitor a brief hug or kiss, or handshake, both at the beginning and the conclusion of a visit.

Contact visits are also often allowed between inmates and their lawyer, law enforcement officials, and clergy. The downside of any contact visit is that before returning to their units, inmates must undergo a full strip search, which is demoralizing and invasive.

Can I visit an inmate in state prison custody?

Yes, prisons allow you to visit an inmate. Every state has their own limits on the minimum amount of time an inmate is allowed to have for visits from friends or family, however in federal prison, inmates are allowed a minimum of four hours per month.

Once an offender is sentenced to prison, your inmate will have to fill out a document listing you as an approved visitor. If you are not on this list you will not be allowed to visit.

The prison will then run a background check on you, checking for outstanding warrants, criminal convictions and other red flags that may indicate to them that you could be a problem for the jail, a bad influence on the inmate or just be someone whose past puts you in violation of their policies.

Most prisons allow anywhere from ten to twenty approved visitors per inmate, however each visit is limited to no more than four visitors at a time, children included. The list is compiled by the inmate.

Prisons have always allowed contact visits. A contact visit allows the inmate and visitor a brief hug or kiss, or handshake, both at the beginning and the conclusion of a visit. Some state prisons allow inmates and their visitor to hold hands, as long as the hands are on the table where the guards can see them.

However, given the ongoing problem of contraband - namely drugs and tobacco - being smuggled into the prisons by visitors, even the state prisons are moving to non-contact and video visitation. One way the visitors pass drugs to inmates is when they kiss. The drugs, wrapped in a small balloon, are then swallowed by the inmate who passes them through their digestive system later in the privacy of their cell.

What are the scheduled Inmate visitation times at the York County Prison?

The jail visitation times change often.  It is advisable to contact the York County Prison before planning your visit by calling 717 840-7580 .

If the visit is taking place at the York County Prison, whether in-person or by video, you will have to schedule the day and time with the jail.

Video visitation times from your home are much more flexible, often because you are not utilizing on of the few terminals in the jail lobby, and because the companies that handle the video visitation for the jail are providing inmates with hand-held computers, in addition to the video terminals they have in their units. 

We try to keep up with the visitation schedules for York County Prison, as well as every jail in the country. If we do have the schedule, you will find it on the top of this page.

How often can an inmate get visits?

Every state has their own policies regarding the amount of time that a jail must provide offenders in their custody, and then every facility, including York County Prison, gets to set their own rules, number of times, schedules, etc.   

Some jails only allow 30 minutes a month. Others as much as an hour every day.

Some jails require you to make an appointment one week in advance. Others require no appointment and work off the principle of ‘first come, first served’.

Every jail is different, and schedules can change; sometimes due to an emergency, the visit can be cancelled without notice, the moment you arrive at the jail.

York County Prison Visitation

We try to keep up with the visitation policies and schedules for York County Prison, as well as every jail in the country. If we do have the information on how often an inmate here can get visits, you will find it on the top of this page.

How long is a typical jail inmate’s visit?

An inmate visit can range from 15 minutes to an hour in length. We try to keep up with the visitation information for York County Prison, as well as every jail in the country. If we do have the information on how often an inmate here can get visits, you will find it on this page.

Typically, even though an inmate’s visit has a time limit, if you are visiting remotely from your home computer or cell phone, visits can be scheduled led back-to-back, so that even though your visit may have to start and stop every 15-30 minutes, you could visit with each other for hours at a time.

Keep in mind that video visits of this type do have a fee, as you are paying a third-party company. Prices fluctuate, based both on the company and the jail’s policy, but they typically cost about $0.30+- per minute.

How many people can visit an inmate at a jail or prison at one time?

Every jail makes its own policies regarding how many people can visit an inmate at one time. 

The factors that decide on the number of visitors are: 1.    How many people can fit into the visitation area comfortably. 2.    How many staff can oversee the visitation area. 3.    The more people visiting an inmate the more likely that if there is an argument, it is harder to control.

Most jails limit the number of visitors to no more than three or four, with a maximum of two of them being adults.

When doing a video visit from home, there is no limit on how many people can take part in a visit.

What are the inmate visitation rules for York County Prison?

Every jail and every prison have their own unique set of rules that must be followed when visiting an inmate, but in general, these are the guidelines:

Most important, you must first be on the inmate's approved visitation list that they create. •    Expect to have a background check done. •    Expect to be searched, go through a metal detector or pass a drug sniffing dog. •    You must be at least 18 years of age.  •    You must have a valid, government issued photo ID. •    Recently released inmates are either not allowed or must wait 6-12 months before being approved. •    Felons must get special permission. •    Children are allowed but must be with parent(s) or legal guardian. Birth certificate(s) or other legal proof is mandatory. •    Often babies are not allowed, but if they are, you will be allowed one diaper, one bottle and one teething ring, and maybe a baby carrier. •    Parents must be always in control of children. •    You must stay seated at all times. •    You cannot be under the influence of drugs or alcohol. •    No arguments, loud voices or fighting allowed. •    No cell phones or any electronic equipment allowed. •    No cigarettes, drugs, lighters allowed. •    No purses, handbags or backpacks allowed. •    No weapons allowed. •    It is likely that your ID and your car key will be the only things allowed on the visit.

What are the inmate visitation dress codes for York County Prison?

In general, all jails and prisons are the same when it comes to dress codes and what you are NOT allowed to wear to a visit. The York County Prison is no different.

Jails and prisons don’t want you wearing anything too revealing or too gangster. Here are some of the other types of clothing NOT allowed: •    Shorts •    Short skirts or dresses •    Long skirts or wrap around skirts •    Sleeveless clothing •    Low cut shirts or dresses. •    Underwire bras •    Skirts or dresses with slits. •    Sweats or leggings. •    Tank tops or wife beater shirts. •    Excess jewelry •    Hats or headbands •    See-through clothing •    Pajamas •    Sunglasses •    Wigs or toupees •    Uniforms or scrubs •    Heels over 1”

What can I bring to visit an inmate in York County Prison?

In general, the only thing you can bring into an inmate in a jail is either your ID and your car key, or if they have lockers, you can bring in the locker key. 

Prisons are a different story. Typically, prisons have vending machines in the visitation area and allow visitors to bring in a clear plastic purse with coins in it, usually totaling no more than $40.00.

What do I have to wear when visiting an inmate?

Refer to the answer above that explains the dress codes, but in general, if want to know what to wear to visit someone in jail, imagine you are visiting someone’s grandmother for the first time… wear that outfit.

Can we hold hands, hug or kiss during inmate visits?

There are no jails in the United States that allow contact visits as a matter of regular policy, except for jails in the state of New York. Thus, the concept of holding hands, kissing or hugging is not relevant.

On the other hand, prisons do allow contact visitors from friends and family. When this is the case, a brief kiss or hug (or handshake) is allowed at the start of the visit and the end of the visit. Holding hands above the table is sometimes allowed in prisons, but not in jails.

Can friends visit inmates in York County Prison, or just family?

By law, every inmate is entitled to a visitor, whether family or friend. The only exception to that is youths that are being held in secure juvenile detention centers. The only people allowed to visit them are parents, grandparents, legal guardians, and in some cases, siblings.

In addition, they are also allowed visits from probation officers, lawyers and their caseworkers.

What is a video visit?

Video visitation, also known as remote visitation, is quickly becoming the preferred method for visiting an inmate in jail or prison for the following reasons: •    It requires little to no staff, versus the staff required to move inmates to and from the visit and watch over the visit. It saves the York County Prison money. •    It removes any opportunity for contraband (drugs) to enter the facility. •    It can become a profit center for the facility, given that the revenue generated by visits is shared with the jail. •    While inmates prefer to see family and friends in person, video visitation allows them to visit with them more often, and on a whim. •    Video visitation gives the inmates and their visitors the feeling of more privacy. Video visitation from the perspective of the visitor allows them to visit from their home, their car, at work, and even allows them to take their device to a family or religious gathering. It allows them to give their inmate the feeling of belonging and not being forgotten.

Video visitation can take place on a computer, a tablet or a phone. 

Video visitation saves time. Instead of spending hours driving to the jail, checking in, filling out paperwork, potentially being searched, waiting, and then having a 15–30-minute visit, if it isn’t cancelled at the last minute, the visit can be done from anywhere during a short break in the visitor’s day.

If the visitor does not have access to a phone or computer, they can make an appointment ahead of time and use terminals in the lobby of the jail.

You must also be on the inmate's approved list, even for a video visit.

What are the companies that work with the jails and prisons that allow video visits?

There are several different companies that contract with all the jails and prisons that allow video visitation:

These are the companies in alphabetical order:

CIDNET City Tele Coin Correct Solutions Group Correct Pay Ctel Gettingout GTL Homewav IC Solutions Inmate Canteen Inmate Sales iwebvisits JailATM Jpay Gettingintouch (netvisit) NCIC Prodigy Sales Reliance Securus Smart Communications Tiger Services Visitel In addition, some jails use Microsoft Meeting and Zoom .

What is a conjugal visit?

A conjugal visit is a visit where the inmate is allowed to spend anywhere from several hours to a full weekend with their spouse. These visits are private, not recorded, and take place in a building, and an area of the prison away from the general population.

The purpose of the conjugal visit is to keep the inmate’s relationship with their spouse strong. Some conjugal visits also include the inmate’s children. A swing set and other recreational activities are available for the children to keep occupied.

There are no jails in the United States where conjugal visits are allowed, however the state prisons in California, Connecticut, Washington and New York all allow conjugal visits.

To be eligible, you need to be married, in good standing with the prison, have taken courses that prepare the inmates for these type of visits, and other requirements.

What jails or prisons allow conjugal visits?

Only California, Connecticut, Washington and New York state prisons allow conjugal visits. There are no jails in the United States that allow conjugal visits.

Other countries are much more liberal and some even allow prostitutes to visit the inmates on a weekly basis.

What can I do to appeal if my inmate visits are suspended?

An inmate can get their visitation privileges suspended for their behavior both because of their interactions with staff and inmates, or disobeying policy, or because of their behavior during visitation.

A visitor can get their visitation privileges suspended due to their behavior during an inmate visit or if they violate any of the rules and regulations of inmate visits and/or other jail policies such as mail, phone, email, etc.

If either the inmate or their visitor disagrees with the suspension of their visitation privileges, they need to write a letter explaining their position to the Jail Warden, County Sheriff or the Captain in charge of the facility’s visitation.

Address the letter to: York County Prison PhysicalAddressHtml}

The letter should contain the following: •    Inmate’s full name they were booked under and their  Inmate ID# (booking #, etc.). If you know the Unit # and cell #, write that as well. •    The visitor’s (you) full name, Identification Card number (driver's license, state ID, passport, etc.), home address, telephone number and email address. •    Explanation of what occurred that led to the suspension, including the date, time, who was the staff member present, whether it was a face-to-face visit or video visit. •    Why do you believe the suspension was unwarranted. •    A full-blown apology if it was accidental. •    Why it’s important to the inmate to continue visitation. •    What type of suspension you agree to if it happens again.

You should also offer to come to the jail and present your case face-to-face if they are open to the request. It is harder to turn down a person when they are directly in front of you, asking for your help.

In situations like this it is always best to keep the correspondence cordial, professional and detailed. Do not attack the staff member personally. It is always possible that the staff member was having a bad day or was still feeling anxiety or anger from dealing with a previous issue.

Being a correctional officer in a jail or prison is a very difficult thing. They have be ‘on guard’ against physical attacks, manipulations, lies and really bad behavior at all times. They are ‘the enemy’ and they know it. By putting yourself in their shoes when writing or requesting a suspension be reconsidered, goes a long towards a final resolution that you will be pleased with.

Can I visit an inmate in the {facility_name _1} if I have a criminal record?

In most jails it is required that you fill out a visitation application prior to visiting an inmate. You also have to be approved to be a visitor by the inmate. Even when visiting by video, you will need to give your personal information which includes your driver’s license or state ID number. 

The jail will use this information to do a quick background check on you to see if you have a criminal history or have any outstanding active warrants.

It is most likely that you will also be asked on the application form if you have ever been arrested, been convicted, or spent time in the York County Prison. If the answer is yes, they will want details, dates, etc.   If you lie about this and get caught, you will lose your right to visits for a period.  This is usually between one year and indefinitely.

If you are a convicted felon, you will have to apply directly to the sheriff. If you are a spouse, child or parent, you have a pretty good chance of getting approved than if you are just a friend. On the other hand, on rare occasions, some jails have adopted a zero-tolerance policy and never allow felons to visit.

If you recently did time in York County Prison, it is most likely that you will not be approved for a visit for a period of six to twelve months, starting on the day of your release. It is rare, but some jails have adopted a zero-tolerance policy and never allow previous inmates to visit, even if your previous conviction was for a misdemeanor.

What if I have a criminal record and the inmate is my child, can I still visit?

As explained in the previous answer, there are generally multiple hoops you must jump through in order to be approved to visit an inmate, if you have a criminal record, specifically if you are a convicted felon, or have recently spent time as an inmate in the York County Prison.

However, if you are a parent of a child in jail, that is one of the rare times that the jail will make an exception and allow you to visit.

Can a juvenile in jail or detention get visits?

Juvenile visits are limited to parents, legal guardians and grandparents. Sometimes siblings are allowed, but this is not always the case. If the caseworker or staff of the facility believe that it's in the best interests of the resident to have siblings visit, it will be approved.

Can children visit inmates in York County Prison?

Most jails will allow inmates to receive visits from their children, however if the child is under age 18, they will need to be accompanied by an adult. Further the adult must be able to legally prove their relationship to the child using either a valid birth certificate, adoption papers or paperwork that proves they are the legal guardian.

If there is a ‘no contact’ order in place in which the inmate has lost their parental rights, and this is not disclosed to the jail, then the inmate may lose visitation rights with other visitors or lose other privileges within the jail, as this is a violation of the law.

Because the presence of children can be a distraction for inmates during visitation, and children require a certain number of things (toys, etc.) to keep them busy, many jails are now setting apart certain days, usually on the weekends, for children to visit.

Children also have to be on the inmate's approved visitor list.

To confirm the visitation rules at the York County Prison regarding child visits, call 717 840-7580 to speak to a staff member.

Are babies allowed to visit inmates at the York County Prison?

Most jails do allow babies to visit. They will require a birth certificate. And given the baby’s needs, they allow the parent to bring in extra items to the visitation room; an extra diaper, a few wipes, a clear bottle with fluid, a pacifier and a baby carrier, for example.

There are some jails however that never allow babies in the visiting room. The cutoff age is usually about two years old.

To confirm the visitation rules at the York County Prison regarding baby or infant visits, call 717 840-7580 to speak to a staff member.

How do I check to see if I have a criminal record?

Most people already know if they have a criminal record. Sometimes they do, but it does not show up on a background check. This is usually because the person has undergone a name change at some point, or the name was misspelled when the data was entered by the court. 

The best place (and least expensive) for the most comprehensive nationwide website to find out if you have a criminal record is privaterecords.net , and they only cost $1.00 for 7-day trial.  

Visiting Hours in York County Prison

CHILDREN'S VISITATION HOURS (The following visitation times are only for children age 13 and under, accompanied by one approved adult)

Visitation Approval for York County Prison

York county prison requires all visitors to fill out an application prior to your visiting an inmate..

• Carefully fill out the application. Incomplete paperwork is cause for denial.
• Honesty, especially regarding past criminal convictions, probation etc., is important. These things will most likely show up on the background check – which if lied about on the application, will cause visits to be denied.
• GettingOut  requires detailed verification before allowing you to use their services.

At Home Video Visitation

Video visits allow your visit to take place in the privacy of your own home. Some family members 'take their inmate with them' to church, the park, the doctor or anywhere else simply by signing in and bringing the device along. Video visits save you from having to get your children ready, drive to the jail, wait in long lines and go through security checkpoints just to see the inmate.

How it Works with GettingOut 1.   Register an account . 2. Find your Inmate's Facility here . 3. Choose either an INMATE ACCOUNT or FRIENDS & FAMILY ACCOUNT.    

• **Note** Friends and Family must have funds in their "Friends & Family Account" to respond to inmate messages. 

4. You will then receive prompts to validate both your identity and phone number . 5. Again, choose your inmate's facility, then type their name and select your inmate.

Who can Visit an Inmate at York County Prison

Who can visit an inmate at the york county prison.

• Anyone over the age of 18, who isn't on felony probation and can produce a valid government-issued photo ID can be approved to visit an inmate in York County Prison.
• Visitation applicants in in York County must sometimes submit to a background check. Those with warrants are denied visitation or if allowed to visit, will be arrested at the jail.
• Children under age 18 must be accompanied by the parent or legal guardian.
• Call 717 840-7580 to ask specific questions about this policy or click here for any updates to this policy.
• It is likely that the York County Prison will deny visitation to anyone with a past felony conviction regardless of probation/parole status. Call 717 840-7580 prior to arriving for the specific jail guideline regarding your legal status.
• If you are a co-defendant with the inmate in a pending case, your visit will be denied.
• If you and the inmate are under a court order to have no contact with each other, your visit will be denied.
• The York County Prison reserves the right to deny any person the right to enter the jail it chooses and for any reason.

NOTE: GettingOut, the York County Prison visitation service, will need to verify that you say who you claim to be prior to giving you permission to use their services online or at the jail lobby kiosk. This will require uploading your driver's license or other state issued ID.

York County Prison Visitation Dress Code

The york county prison staff will turn anyone away who is not dressed appropriately for a visit..

• Remote Visits are monitored by the jail.
• If you are dressed inappropriately your visit will be shut off.
• The best way to be sure the visit takes place is to dress as if you are meeting someone's grandmother for the first time. 

General Clothing Do's & Don'ts for Remote Visitation * Wear clothes that are not revealing. * Don't wear see-through material. * Have all undergarments covered (males and females) and avoid a lot of cleavage. * Shorts and skirts should reach mid-thigh. * Sleeves should be at least half-way to your elbow. * The following types of clothing are also prohibited: * Clothing promoting gang affiliation. * Anything displaying drugs, weapons or profanity. * Clothing depicting anything obscene.

Visitation Tips and Guidelines

All york county prison visits are conducted in person behind plexi-glass or on a televised screen from another location using remote video visitation..

• If the visit takes place at York County Prison, all children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian and guardians must provide proof of their guardianship.
• Leave all personal belongings, except for your state ID in your vehicle or in a locker (if one is provided).
• Children must be monitored at all times or jail staff will end the visit early.

York County Prison Inmate Mail Guidelines

Postcards The York County Prison allows inmates to receive pre-metered postcards like the type purchased from the post office. They may also allow certain photo postcards as long as they have not been tampered with or contain images that may be considered to be obscene or violent in nature. Envelopes The York County Prison also allows envelopes to be mailed to inmates.

Postcards and envelopes MUST be mailed to the following address: Inmate's Full Name & ID number (call 717 840-7580 for this info) Inmate and ID number York County Prison-Pennsylvania P.O. Box 247 Phoenix, MD 21131

Send all legal Mail to this Address: Inmate's Full Name & ID number (call 717 840-7580 for this info) Inmate and ID number York County Prison 3400 Concord Road York, PA 17402

Newspapers Local or national newspapers may also be mailed to the inmate as long as they are mailed directly from the newspaper publisher. Magazines News, special interest or sports magazines may also be mailed to an inmate as long as they are shipped directly from the publisher. Any magazines that contain profanity, weapons, pornography or other content that is adult in nature will be confiscated by the jail staff and will NOT be delivered to the inmate. Books The York County Prison allows books to be mailed directly to the jail from a reputable source such as Amazon ,  Barnes & Noble or Books-A-Million . You can order them directly from your computer and have them shipped to the inmate at the address below. Books must NOT contain images or content that are considered excessively violent, pornographic or obscene. Any book that does not meet the York County Prison standards will be disposed of. No more than three books may be shipped at any one time. Hard cover books will not be accepted by the jail due to their potential to be used as a weapon. All newspapers, magazines and books are to be shipped to: Inmate's Full Name & ID number (call 717 840-7580 for this info) Inmate and ID number York County Prison 3400 Concord Road York, PA 17402

How Do Inmates in York County Prison Make or Receive Phone Calls?

To receive phone calls from inmates in York County, or to assist them in making phone calls to other people, follow these steps:

1.  Start by confirming that York County Prison has the phone service you need to communicate with your inmate by the facility lookup here . 2. In the meantime, you can  create an account here for GettingOut . 3. Then add funds to your account. This account can be controlled by just you, or by both you and your inmate. 4. Last, select York County Prison, and then the inmate you wish to communicate with.

Note: Rates are subject to change.

Types of Phone Calls Collect Calls Collect calls allow you to accept and pay for calls to your land line (only) phone account. This means that if you accept your call from your inmate, all the charges for that call will then be billed to your land line phone account and will show up and be listed on your next local phone bill. Additional fees, costs, restrictions may apply.

Prepaid calls (Direct Calls) With Prepaid Calls you can set up your account so that the inmate can only call you and/or you can just deposit money in their account and they can purchase prepaid phone cards through their commissary and call whoever they choose, provided the York County Prison approves of the phone number.

Quick Connect Quick connect is an alternative to collect calls. It allows you to quickly pay for a phone call with your credit card.  When your inmate calls you, follow the instructions from the automated voice system to pay for that one phone call, directly billed to your card.

Customer Service If you have any questions about the York County Prison GettingOut phone services, you can call them at 866-516-0115 .

* All the information you need to understand making and receiving phone calls with inmates in York County, can be found on our  Inmate Phone Page.

How Inmates Can Use a Tablet to Access Services at York County Prison

To find out how to get access to a tablet for inmate read the following:

To learn more about Tablet Rentals for inmates, including the cost, all the services available and everything else you need to know, check out our  Tablet Rental  Page.

How to Communicate with an York County Prison Inmate by Mail and by Email

To mail or email an inmate in York County follow these steps:

When mailing a letter or postcard to an inmate, please follow these instructions:

• All mail sent to an inmate at the York County Prison must include the sender's name and mailing address in the top left corner of the envelope or postcard.
• All mail must include the facility's address, as well as the inmate's name and assigned number.
• Failure to include your return address will most likely result in your mail NOT being delivered and your letter destroyed.
• The York County Prison has a zero-tolerance policy regarding mail violations. 
• All the information you need to understand mail and email policies can be found on our  Inmate Mail  Page and our  Text/Email an Inmate  Page.

Emailing Messages & Photos

Then use the Facility Finder to: 1.   Select York County Prison, 2. Add your inmate to your list of contacts, 3. Add a credit or debit card to cover your costs.

• Messages can be up to 500 characters long, including punctuation. At the bottom of your message there is a 'character countdown' feature.  
• After you click the “CONTINUE” button, you can review the cost to send your message to your inmate. You can also attach credits for your inmate to reply to your message.  Be sure to accept the Terms and Conditions and click the “SEND” button for your message to be successfully delivered to your inmate.
• You can also send your York County inmate photos and videos.

Customer Service Questions 'Online' Contact Form , or Call    866-516-0115

Go here to this FAQ to get answers to how the transition to ViaPath from GTL and gettingout will affect your account.

All the information you need to understand mail and email policies for York County can be found on our  Inmate Mail Page and our  Text/Email an Inmate  Page.

How Do You Visit an Inmate in York County Prison?

To visit an inmate in York County, whether by video or in person 'at the jail', follow these steps:

To remotely visit an inmate in York County follow these steps: 1.  Start by confirming that York County Prison's Video Visitation is working correctly by looking up York County here . 2.  The next step is to  create an account here for GettingOut . 3. Then add funds to your account. 4. Last, select York County Prison, and then the inmate you wish to communicate with.

Other York County Services provided by GettingOut:  - Phone Calls & Voicemail   - Email, Photo & Video Sharing -  Inmate Tablet Rental -  Deposits

Customer Service If you have any questions about the York County Prison Visitation Services you can call them at 866-516-0115 . Frequently Asked Questions

* All the information you need to have complete knowledge about inmate visitation; policies, rules, fees, schedules, tips, dress codes, and children, lawyers and clergy visitation in York County, can be found on our  Visit Inmate  Page. York County Prison Phone: 717 840-7580

Here’s how it works for York County Prison: 1.     All offender mail (paper and electronic) is addressed and delivered to TextBehind. Electronic mail is sent through the apps ( iphone , Google Play ). Paper mail is sent to the address below: Inmate Name and Inmate Number York County Prison Pennsylvania (note: please do not abbreviate the name) P.O. Box 247 Phoenix, MD 21131 2.     If it was sent via TextBehind's app ( iphone , Google Play ), TextBehind can process it within one business day. 3.     An additional step is involved in processing mail that is sent using the U.S. Postal Service. TextBehind will  use a scanner to make digital files of the contents of the mailing—including cards, photos or artwork. 4.     All digital files are then forwarded to the offender’s assigned prison. 5.     York County Prison mailroom prints approved pages and delivers them to the inmate. IMPORTANT NOTES:

• TextBehind does not deliver any mail to the inmate directly, nor do they guarantee delivery of your letters to the inmates by the courier, jail or prison staff. Once they process your mail and ship them out on your behalf, they are out of the loop entirely. However, at times they may offer to resend your letters under certain strict conditions as a courtesy. 
• Inmates do not receive any invites when you add them, and neither do they need to accept the use of TextBehind service. Once you add the inmate, you can create letters for them. 

Here’s what happens when TextBehind receives a letter from an inmate:

• Upon receiving, TextBehind staff open their letters, scan, and upload high-quality images to your TextBehind account as a complimentary service. You are not required to have any money or credits balance in your TextBehind account to receive inmate letters.
• Next, you will receive a text and email alert to notify you of any new incoming reply letters. At that time, you can log into the TextBehind website or mobile app and view letters in your CONTACTS >> Click on Conversation Icon. 

YOU NEED TO KNOW THIS...

• Inmates do require a stamp to send out their letters to TextBehind using Postal Service.
• The cash or credit balance from your TextBehind account will not be shared with inmates as a substitute for the stamps. 
• All letters printed and shipped by TextBehind nationwide to virtually any jail or prison facility are delivered to the jails/prisons by couriers such as the USPS or FedEx as their standard process.
• After the shipments, TextBehind has no control over the process.
• The delivery of your letters depends on couriers and prison staff taking necessary action on time.

IMPORTANT TextBehind LINKS: Register / Log in with TextBehind Contact TextBehind with Questions Add an Inmate to your list of Contacts ** Address to Mail letters using TextBehind ** Inmate Name and Inmate Number York County Prison Pennsylvania ( note: please do not abbreviate the name ) P.O. Box 247 Phoenix, MD 21131

Why is TextBehind used by Lockups? Due to the problem of letters and postcards containing, or soaked in contraband (drugs), TextBehind electronic and physical letters is replacing the former policy of allowing mail to be sent directly from inmate’s friends and family members, and vice versa.

How to Send a Carepack Commissary Package Directly to an Inmate in York County

To send a commissary carepack (food, snacks and goods) directly to an inmate in York County Prison follow these steps:

• Select Pennsylvania, then select York County Prison, and then select the 'Send a Package Order' option.
• Register and create an account with Access Securepak, for York County.

• Choose the inmate and the products you want shipped to them, and input your payment method. 
• NOTE: There may be a limit on how much product you can send your inmate in York County at any one time.

For all information, tips and available items for shipping  Commissary  packages to an inmate in York County Prison check out our Commissary Instructions Page  for York County.

How to Send Money to an Inmate in York County

To send commissary money to an inmate in York County Prison follow these steps:

• Register with Access Corrections by creating an account.

• Select Pennsylvania, then select York County Prison, and then the inmate you want to send money to.
• Choose the amount of money you want to send, and input your payment method.

For all information on how to  Send Money to an inmate's account check out our full money and commissary guide for York County Prison.

Photos of this facility

York County Prison Contact Information

The Old Gaol

The Development of York's Old Gaol 150 Years of Construction History 1656 - 1806

1707 – York County House of Correction.   A House of Correction opened on Gaol Hill, serving as a workhouse for minor criminals and the poor of York County.  Inmates in York’s House of Correction repaired shoes and processed flax to pay debts and court-ordered fines.

1720 – Stone-Walled York County Prison.   In disrepair and lacking security, the York County Court ordered the replacement of the 1656 prison with a stone walled building in 1719.  The new building was located on Gaol Hill and lumber from the 1656 building probably was used in the new structure.

1729 – Prison House.   After 1720 and peace with Canada to the north, York County’s population grew dramatically.  With more people came increased crime and the need for greater monitoring of prisoners.  In 1729 a small house was built enabling the prison keeper to live on-site.

1737 – Prison Kitchen.   Before 1737, food for York’s prisoners probably was cooked off-site.  In that year, a kitchen was constructed in a space that formerly served as an open-air prison yard for the exercise of prisoners.  The level of the original yard was more than a foot lower than the current kitchen floor, which is why one must now stoop to enter the 1719-1720 stone prison.

1763 – Second Floor Cells.   As the 18th century progressed, Americans became more concerned with the treatment of prisoners.  With little light and dank conditions, the stone prison cell no longer was used for prisoners once two new cells with tall windows were constructed on the second floor in 1763.

1799 – First Floor Addition and Second Floor Debtor Cell.   Economic turmoil brought on by the American Revolution and Independence caused more and more Americans to fall into debt.  As a result, in 1799, York County added additional space to the House of Correction, with a large debtors cell built above it on the second floor.

1806 – Storage Cellar and Room.   The York County Court ordered the construction of a cellar in 1806.  This space probably served as cool food storage for the House of Correction, with the structure built above it probably functioning as an administrative office and dry attic storage.

207-363-1756

Inside Dannemora Prison

The Clinton Correctional Facility at Dannemora, originally built in 1845, is the third oldest in New York State, and the history of the prison is fascinating and its architecture most dramatic.  This unique opportunity will take us inside this maximum-security prison where we will visit a cellblock modeled on the “Auburn System,” the Church of the Good Thief built entirely by inmates, the North Yard, and see a prison workshop.  The day will also include a morning walk around the village that surrounds the prison where we’ll see the outside of the former Dannemora State Hospital and other prison facilities outside its walls.

The tour begins at 10 a.m. and ends around 3 p.m.

FEE:  $40 for AARCH members and $50 for non-members

Participants must be 18 or older. For safety purposes, other restrictions apply. Please contact AARCH for information. 

TOUR REGISTRATION INFORMATION

An Inside Tour of ‘Willard Asylum for the Chronic Insane’ – Ovid, NY

Finger Lakes Region

by Chris Clemens

Each year in May there is a rare opportunity for those looking to tour a piece of intriguing history on the eastern shores of Seneca Lake. Three-hour walking tours of the Willard Asylum in Ovid, NY provide photogs, history buffs, explorers and the wildly curious a chance at a guided tour of the state’s second effort at government-run housing for those with mental illness, developmental disabilities, epilepsy and other ailments they felt like lumping in to the treatment model. Tours hosted by the Elizabeth Cady Stanton Child Care Center began eight years ago and attendance has grown exponentially ever since. In 2014, there were 10 groups of between 25-40 people both in the morning and the afternoon sessions.

Because part of the property has been converted to house the Five Points Correctional Facility, safety for visitors and security risks make providing tours a complex endeavour that the prison system loathes. Due to the grand efforts of preservation advocates, Five Points has allowed the tours one Saturday, once a year, for a limited number of people. Based on some feedback that I got from our docent, there’s a good chance that the event has outgrown it’s welcome and the prison may put the kibosh on the whole thing in the near future. If what you are about to read interests you at all, I wouldn’t wait around to take this tour assuming it will always be available. [12/23/2014 EDIT: As you’ll see in the comments at the end of this post, a couple helpful readers have corrected my facts here. The ‘lockdown’ facility on the campus is a drug-alcohol treatment program for low-level offenders. Whereas, Five Points Correctional is an entirely different facility about 4 miles away in Romulus, NY. Thanks to those who helped me get this straight!]

The property on Seneca Lake was first purchased in 1853 with the intention that it would be the home of the Ovid Agricultural College. The 440 acre university opened for classes in December 1860, but the timing proved horrible. Any young and able-bodied men were off fighting in the trenches of the Civil War and weren’t available for academia. The collegiate effort lasted only months and left a nearly brand new sprawling campus to rot in the heart of the Finger Lakes Region.

In the meantime, Dr. Sylvester D. Willard , the Surgeon General of New York, had discovered that those with mental illnesses, developmental disabilities, epilepsy, and even alcoholism suffered in torturous conditions in county-based almshouses. Though New York had already forged the path to state-run institutionalization when the Utica Lunatic Asylum was opened in 1843, when Willard discovered the inhumane treatments throughout his research, he proposed a bill that indicated a need for opening a second asylum–a bill that President Lincoln signed just six days prior to being assassinated. If the timing of Lincoln’s death and the signing of the bill doesn’t seem awfully close, you might be amazed to learn that Dr. Willard himself died of typhoid fever just two weeks prior to Lincoln’s passing! The bill that Willard penned that led to this second institution would be his legacy and therefore was named in his memory. The Willard Asylum for the Chronic Insane was to be constructed right away on the 440 acre parcel that lay dormant in the Finger Lakes.

It was only months after October 13, 1869 when Mary Rote arrived that Willard had filled all 250 beds and began to prepare for more. Rather than put additions directly on to the building, a campus of detached buildings was built. A Warden’s house overlooking the dock that the patients arrived at, numerous dormitory style buildings to house both residents and staff, a morgue, a fire department, a nurse’s station (that is now a daycare), a generator building and an all-purpose gymnasium that served as a recreational area, chapel and movie theatre all became part of a collection of over 70 buildings that slowly were constructed to serve the growing population. In 1890, the campus (now called Willard State Hospital) had over 2,000 residents on site, making it the largest in the entire country. Originally intended to serve only chronic patients, Willard now was poised to also serve patients with acute needs.

Despite later changing its name to Willard Psychiatric Center, the attempt to embrace a more person-centered treatment philosophy couldn’t outrun the national trend toward deinstitutionalization. Large treatment centers and hospitals began to close somewhere in the early 1970’s, largely due to Geraldo Rivera’s expose on the Willowbrook Hospital in downstate New York. Rather than a model that allowed one nurse to care for 150 patients on one floor, smaller group home models began to become the norm. Finally, in 1995, Willard would discharge its final patient and close its doors for good.

The tour for my group began in the Grandview building which is one of the oldest buildings on the property and was part of the Ovid Agricultural College mentioned earlier. First erected in 1860 and later renovated in 1870, the building housed Willard female patients whose ailments were less profound. Afterward, we moved on to Hadley Hall, which had been built in 1892. Featuring an all-purpose gymnasium, the hall was used for various recreational activities and even as a movie theater. Still available to check out is the projector room where operators had written the titles and dates of each movie they had played. I figured that was going to be the coolest thing in Hadley Hall, because so much history had been preserved there and one you could never stick into a couple photos or even a book. Almost as cool though, we were given an opportunity to wander into the basement of the building, where residents had their very own bowling alley.

Two final buildings on the tour were the Brookside (which was the Warden’s quarters) built on the crest of a picturesque hillside overlooking the lake, and the Bleak House, living quarters for the steward of the campus. Both homes were ridiculously stately and beautiful, with Brookside boasting two full kitchens and 11 bedrooms! The ornate wood detailing, stained glass windows and even the wooden banisters on the stairwells are a true work of art worthy of preservation.

I mentioned earlier that the Willard campus was entirely self-sustaining. A hospital onsite, a utility plant, living quarters for staff, morgue and fire department all ensured that residents at Willard never had to leave the property. The final stop on our tour was one that only added to the solemnity of the previous three hours. While walking through the cemetery at Willard, it was nearly impossible not to imagine who the residents at Willard were. What they looked like, what they struggled with, what their passions were, who their families were. Acres and acres of field are lined with anonymous markers that have only a number to indicate the burial. There is now a group of volunteer genealogists who dedicate their time and resources to finding the stories of each of the individuals buried in the cemetery plots at Willard, and they were on hand to answer questions and share some of the records they had discovered. If you’re interested in learning more about the burials and want more information, they have an incredibly cool website with tons and tons of constantly updated resources that you can find here .

A number of years ago someone was cleaning out the upstairs attic of one of the buildings at Willard and found a few hundred suitcases filled with personal belongings from former patients. If the heartbreaking tale of people losing their identities and enduring the last years of their lives in an institution of neglect isn’t enough to make you wonder about the history of our healthcare system, the suitcase exhibit might do the trick. The idea that an individual would arrive at Willard with a suitcase of personal keepsakes that would be tossed into an attic and never seen again is a chilling image how we have historically treated those who were institutionalized. The individual who found the suitcases ensured that they made it into the hands of the right people, and a traveling exhibit of all of the belongings from each of the suitcases has been making its way through museums for years. For more on the Willard Suitcase Exhibit check out this website that has been set up .

If you’re looking to attend the tour in May 2015, get ready to be Googling and hunting for information as it gets closer. Unfortunately, there’s never been one website to serve as a spot for the announcement. A good resource for tour details may be my fellow blogging friend Jennifer Morrisey over at Home In The Finger Lakes . She put together a pretty sweet series of posts from the same tour I was on, in fact, you can even see me in a few of her photos! Additionally, as more information on the tour is available, I’ll be sure to share it on the Exploring Upstate Facebook Page , so be sure to follow there too!

Chris Clemens is the Founder/Publisher of Exploring Upstate . From his hometown in Rochester, he spends as much time as possible connecting with the history, culture, and places that make Upstate New York a land of discovery. Follow him on Twitter at @cpclemens

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104 comments.

Upcoming Public Tour of Willard Asylum for the Insane - Home in the Finger Lakes December 22, 2014 @ 5:54 am

[…] I did attend the tour! You can find all my pictures and posts from the day HERE.  My friend Chris Clemens over at Exploring Upstate also attended and wrote an excellent post about the History and Tour of Willard also. […]

Christ Episcopal Church & the Willard Psychiatric Center – Willard, NY » Exploring The Burned Over District December 22, 2014 @ 2:42 pm

[…] Willard Asylum for the Insane would go through a few name changes, but always continued to treat the mentally […]

Willard is currently a treatment/correctional facility run by OASIS and parole and is not a standard Correctional Facility. 5 Points is a totally separate facility run by NYSDOCCS. Someone needs to do their homework

Hey Carol– You’re 100% correct, I got my facts mixed up. Thanks for reading through and taking the time to leave a comment with the correct information, the input is helpful!!

Technically Willard Drug Treatment Center is also operated by NYSDOCCS in collaboration with OASAS. It is a 90day “shock/boot” camp style program for low level offenders and parole violaters with drug/alcohol issues. Like Carol indicated, this facility is located on the old Willard Psychiatric Hospital Campus.

Thank you both for being so helpful in me getting the facts straight. I’ve provided an edit within the post referencing the correct info!

and I think there is a cost for the tour??

You are correct Bob. Last year i think it was $20. Since I’m not an official representive of the historical society, I didn’t want to publish a ticket price in case it changed.

The cost this year is $10 per ticket!

i found your article quite interesting. i had a relative that was in Willard back in the 1960’s and he passed away there. i would love to tour the facility but my disability won’t allow me to do all that walking.

I worked in Sunnycrest for 12 years and loved every minute of it I worked with females and remember Mary Murphy also male service with Big George everyone was afraid of him but workers would have him lift trucks and laugh but he would get sick after and loved me as I would give him hell as his body could not tolerate it anymore Yes there are stories to be told but they needed help just as you and I there problems were real some would get discharge and come back as they had gotten instutionalized and could not make it on the outside I also worked in roll playing and was attacked as I reminded him of his mother He felt so bad after when we were done but it really helped him. I moved to Florida and was sick ther was no hospital down here anywhere as I would have gone back.

I also worked at Willard Psychiatric Center as a Youth Opportunity worker in Sunnycroft and the Birches Infirmary for several years. My Aunt Donna worked there as a nurse, along with my step father Jimmy Clair as an Attendant. I would be very interested in attending a tour as it is a huge part of my childhood and teen years. I sang at Hadley Hall in one of the talent contest auditions and used to attend the Saturday matinees and have lunch afterward downstairs. My Uncle Gaylord Poth worked there for many years and then later at the new facility Dick van Dyke Alcohol Units along with my Aunt Kaye Poth as well and they lived very close by. I remember the Willard Picnics as a highlight to attend growing up with live music and food all day and well into the evening. We wore white uniforms and were there when wards were starting to be unlocked so it was an exciting time of change and a huge education. My step dad worked 3-11 and retired from Willard and was greatly loved by many. He actually spent many hours bending silver spoons for so many staff to wear their keys on and it became very popular for staff to have their own unique silver crafted spoon key chain. I remember the baked bread and cold milk for dinner and large bowls of fresh cooked pink buttered rutabaga that was grown on Willard farms. I remember sitting in large rooms with pastel colored leather seats on heavy metal chairs that went all the way around these rooms with bars on the windows and a television up in the corner. I smoked a corncob pipe with an individual who gave me that pipe and told me how to chew tobacco. It did not last when I got home though. I loved working there and have so many wonderful memories of the incredible people we served.

I took care of a man who was in willard. I couldn’t figure out why he was so distant at my initial home visit & a few days into working at the house & reading his history I could see why he acted the way he did. once I was there for a while he came around, was a very nice, caring & outgoing man. I love working with the people I work with. they’ve changed my life in so many ways.

How do we get to sign up for the tour…

Hi Nancy….Walking tours of the grounds and facilities will take place on Saturday, May 16th, 2015 at 9am and 1pm. Tickets are available for $10 (children under 10 are free) and will be sold the day of the event at Camp Edgemere. More information is available on the Facebook Page for the Elizabeth Cady Stanton Child Care Center.

I would like to go on this tour info please

Hi Elizabeth…Walking tours of the grounds and facilities will take place on Saturday, May 16th, 2015 at 9am and 1pm. Tickets are available for $10 (children under 10 are free) and will be sold the day of the event at Camp Edgemere. More information is available on the Facebook Page for the Elizabeth Cady Stanton Child Care Center.

When is the tour?!

Hi Kelly…Walking tours of the grounds and facilities will take place on Saturday, May 16th, 2015 at 9am and 1pm. Tickets are available for $10 (children under 10 are free) and will be sold the day of the event at Camp Edgemere. More information is available on the Facebook Page for the Elizabeth Cady Stanton Child Care Center.

Hi Chris, Do you have any info on a tour for 2016? Our Book Club just read “What she left behind” & would really enjoy joining the tour!

Hey Elizabeth—haven’t seen anything published for this year’s tour yet. In previous years they’ve announced just weeks ahead of time. So, if they are doing it again, it’d be too early to know yet still.

Hi Chris, I am very interested in taking a tour of Willard Asylum, I tried to look on Elizabeth Cady Stanton child care center, and wasn’t able to find anything. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Wayne Wright

Hello Wayne,

The tours stopped years ago after they got out of hand. If you search for news (maybe 2017?) you’ll find some stories about their last tour. I’m fairly certain the child care center is no longer operating.

Would love tour information. My email is [email protected] if there is some type of list?

Hi Machelle… There isn’t a list, it’s first come-first serve. Walking tours of the grounds and facilities will take place on Saturday, May 16th, 2015 at 9am and 1pm. Tickets are available for $10 (children under 10 are free) and will be sold the day of the event at Camp Edgemere. More information is available on the Facebook Page for the Elizabeth Cady Stanton Child Care Center.

I too would love tour info!! I live about six hours away but would love to come to this.

Hi Diane…Walking tours of the grounds and facilities will take place on Saturday, May 16th, 2015 at 9am and 1pm. Tickets are available for $10 (children under 10 are free) and will be sold the day of the event at Camp Edgemere. More information is available on the Facebook Page for the Elizabeth Cady Stanton Child Care Center.

Rolling Hills Asylum - East Bethany, NY | January 25, 2015 @ 8:55 am

[…] began to provide residential care for New Yorkers as early as 1736. If you read my post about the Willard Asylum for the Chronic Insane you already know that in the early 1800’s officials began to concern themselves with the type […]

Please post the Tour Dates when you know them for May 2015. I would like to go on the tour to see where my Great-Great-Grandmother was housed. THX

Hi Sharon…Walking tours of the grounds and facilities will take place on Saturday, May 16th, 2015 at 9am and 1pm. Tickets are available for $10 (children under 10 are free) and will be sold the day of the event at Camp Edgemere. More information is available on the Facebook Page for the Elizabeth Cady Stanton Child Care Center.

would like more information on the tour for 2015 please— thank you

Hi Wendy…Walking tours of the grounds and facilities will take place on Saturday, May 16th, 2015 at 9am and 1pm. Tickets are available for $10 (children under 10 are free) and will be sold the day of the event at Camp Edgemere. More information is available on the Facebook Page for the Elizabeth Cady Stanton Child Care Center.

This is a fascinating article, but very misleading about tours for 2018. Went two years ago and was turned away. Very poor organization for tours.

Hi Connie. This was written in 2014 after the tour that year. It has nothing to do with any tour other than the one done that year.

I worked there as a youth op. And my relatives also worked there. My grandparents had a house across the street.

My husband, Tom McCann Boak, worked with Louis Martz in Grandview. Any relation? My husband worked there 26 1\2 years until it closed.

Hi I’m trying to trace information on my grandfather who was in Willard. I hope to take the tour next year if it is still available. My grandad was Sylvester Cullen who died in Willard in September 1971, at the age of 73. by any change to you think your husband ever came across him there?

rosemary cullen (co cavan ireland)

Would also like info on tour dates

Hi Joan…Walking tours of the grounds and facilities will take place on Saturday, May 16th, 2015 at 9am and 1pm. Tickets are available for $10 (children under 10 are free) and will be sold the day of the event at Camp Edgemere. More information is available on the Facebook Page for the Elizabeth Cady Stanton Child Care Center.

I would also like tour dates and contact information as to how to attend

Hi Deb…Walking tours of the grounds and facilities will take place on Saturday, May 16th, 2015 at 9am and 1pm. Tickets are available for $10 (children under 10 are free) and will be sold the day of the event at Camp Edgemere. More information is available on the Facebook Page for the Elizabeth Cady Stanton Child Care Center.

The building referred to as a “nursing station” was actually the nursing school which was one of the best in the state for years. Seeing these pictures brought back a lot of memories since I graduated from that school

Why was nothing mentioned about their excellent nursing school? My sister graduated from Willard in the early seventies.

Hi Chris, My parents worked there for many years. I would love to be able to take my mom on this tour. Where can I find the information to sign up?

Hi Barb, there’s no sign up, just first come/first serve. Walking tours of the grounds and facilities will take place on Saturday, May 16th, 2015 at 9am and 1pm. Tickets are available for $10 (children under 10 are free) and will be sold the day of the event at Camp Edgemere. More information is available on the Facebook Page for the Elizabeth Cady Stanton Child Care Center.

Thanks for the write-up and photos! Seems like a great tour and hope I can manage to do it. What didn’t you like about the Buffalo Asylum tour? Would you not recommend it?

Hi, when are the 2015 dates? Prices? How do I sign up? I would LOVE this opportunity.

Hey Brooke…No sign up, just first come/first served. Walking tours of the grounds and facilities will take place on Saturday, May 16th, 2015 at 9am and 1pm. Tickets are available for $10 (children under 10 are free) and will be sold the day of the event at Camp Edgemere. More information is available on the Facebook Page for the Elizabeth Cady Stanton Child Care Center.

I too would like to know how to book a tour for 2015! Please let me know!

Hi Melanie…Walking tours of the grounds and facilities will take place on Saturday, May 16th, 2015 at 9am and 1pm. Tickets are available for $10 (children under 10 are free) and will be sold the day of the event at Camp Edgemere. More information is available on the Facebook Page for the Elizabeth Cady Stanton Child Care Center.

This tour is not sponsored by the Historical Society but by Elizabeth Cady Stanton Children’s center, a not for profit day that is housed in the Jackson Bldg – the old nursing school. We are waiting word to see if the tour can be held again this year. If it is it will be May 16th and the cost will be $10.00

I have a group of family members who would love to go on this tour as one of our family members had been in this facility. Please let me know the dates and times

Does anyone know if the Tour for 2015 is going to take place and when?

Hi Becky…Walking tours of the grounds and facilities will take place on Saturday, May 16th, 2015 at 9am and 1pm. Tickets are available for $10 (children under 10 are free) and will be sold the day of the event at Camp Edgemere. More information is available on the Facebook Page for the Elizabeth Cady Stanton Child Care Center.

Hi Lee Anne! When you hear if the tour is happening, would you mind e-mailing me? My boyfriend and I and possibly his brother and girlfriend would like to go. My email is [email protected]

My wife and I would also like to know if and when the tour is. I’ve driven through the property quite a few times and would love to see inside.

Hi Scott…Walking tours of the grounds and facilities will take place on Saturday, May 16th, 2015 at 9am and 1pm. Tickets are available for $10 (children under 10 are free) and will be sold the day of the event at Camp Edgemere. More information is available on the Facebook Page for the Elizabeth Cady Stanton Child Care Center.

I’m hoping you have visited our website at http://www.willardcemeterymemorialproject.com . I see you told several people about last year’s May 16 event, but the best event that day was the memorial to the gravedigger, Lawrence Mocha. You can view the video on our website.

good evening my name is Cindy and I was just wondering has it always looked this scary ? Was it always run down like the pictures show? How awful.

Hey Cindy… A few of the buildings are still in use and while they’re not modern or luxurious, I wouldn’t say they’re too scary. A few of the buildings that have gone unused for decades have probably fallen victim to disrepair and weathering, but considering, they’re in pretty decent shape. Back in the day, Willard was mostly considered QUITE modern and a beautiful grounds, particularly the Director’s home. Most likely, what makes many of these photos seem scary is our imaginations and the things we imagine happening and being done to the residents.

Very interesting !

http://www.homeinthefingerlakes.com/upcoming-public-tour-of-willard-asylum-for-the-insane/

Hi I was wondering if it was haunted?

Hi Michelle…. I suppose it depends on what you believe about spirits and the afterlife. But, there are certainly some people who do believe the grounds have supernatural qualities.

Hi Chris. Do they only allow people in during the once a year tour?

Hi Virginia…. Correct. The only access legally granted to the public is during the tour. The child care center goes to great lengths to get approval from the state for the tours.

Hi Chris, I would love to relive my childhood memories. My grandfather Dr James Murphy was the director of Willard for 25 years. I am unsure of what the exact years were, but everyone working there would always remind me that he had been there for 25 years .I know that he lived on the property and my parents were married 2/2/1955. I believed that Dr Murphy left around 1964. My mother graduated from the nursing school and worked there until 1972 when we moved to Rochester. She did return to work at the Dick Van Dyke clinic and retired from there. I actually delivered newspapers throughout Willard from the bottom of the hill to the top on a bike. It was great to bike down the hill. My dad was on the softball league and work the security and the fire dept. I lived the white house on the corner next to the state hospital the first house going into Willard. I went to many free movies. The patients were below. The rest were on the balcony.

Information for this years tour: http://www.homeinthefingerlakes.com/upcoming-public-tour-of-willard-asylum-for-the-insane/

Is the place haunted dose any one know

Hi Amanda, I actually attended the aforementioned drug treatment facility in 2012. And for those who believe in that sort of stuff (I didn’t before I was there) it is haunted. I spent 90 days there and can report on several “strange” occurrences that I witnessed and it changed my beliefs forever in more than a few ways. It is a known fact throughout the correctional staff that the Willard grounds are unquestionably haunted.

We are driving from Rochester NY area, do tours fill fast? Are we guaranteed a “spot” if we arrive before the start of the tour?

Hey Maggie…

Last year we wasted a bit of time trying to figure out where to buy tickets and ended up showing up at 8:59 and we were turned away because it was too late. As I was walking away, the volunteer ran after me and said, “c’mon quick. come in here and pay and we’ll get you into a group!”

With that being said, I don’t really know if they are capping the attendance or not this year, but I don’t think there are any guarantees. If I were going again, I’d be getting there at 8:30 just to be safe. I suspect that there will be a TON of people there.

Today we visited the facility. However…it was poorly planned. We lost our tour guide and they ran out of maps as well didn’t plan for enough people. Our group did our own tour. Alot of people got turned away because it was sold out fast. I’d like to come next year. Hopefully, the planning committee can plan for 1000+ people and have more tour times. I was slightly disappointed in the inefficiency. We also got yelled at by a lady because a condemned building wasn’t properly locked up. She was being extremely rude.

Most likely there will not be another one. Some people were going through the tunnels,going into restricted buildings. Yes, they didn’t expect the crowds that they had, but as the day wore on the prison guards had enough and slowly shut down places. Too bad, but many former employees and children of the employees were there. It was great to talk with them.

Yes my grandaughter and I made the attempt to be part of the one o’clock tour group. It was mayhem. We didnt even get near Camp Edgemere, much less the entrance to Willard. Traffic was backed up 3 to 5 miles from the entrance road. Police would allow traffic to drive by only. The frustrating thing was we could see hundreds of cars and hundreds of people wandering the property. Apparently a lot of people up the re were not nice and stayed to give themselves tours. Information printed from last indicated visitors under 1000. There must have been three times that today. There was no one oclock tour. It was a serious disappointment for a lot of people. If there is a next year, the amateur sponsors are going to have to turn it over to a professional crowd control organization with a lot more tour guides and professional crowd control officers with plenty experience.

I was told after today there will be no more tours I was also told people went into buildings and vandalized it I was a little disappointed that we could not go into some of the other buildings but I am just glad I was able to do the tour I actually got some orbs in a picture from Hadley hall and smelled a man’s cologne in elliot hall room 107 did not smell that in any other room I definitely had a great time learning about willard I just hope that in the future the Graves will have names cause to me those poor people have names and are not just a number l

You were having o factory hauluations.to bad this place wasn’t still open u would be a great candidate.the place is haunted for use.I myself have seen a few ghosts there and been touched,touched in many ways.this placed saved my life also

We drove 2 hours to get there only to get stuck in a traffic jam 3 miles long, figured all was ok because we were almost a hour early for the 1 oclock tour, got almost there and a State Troop directibg traffic said the tour was over due to a fire. I didn’t believe him for some reason. UNREAL

Was this only a one day event or will there be more tours. Does anyone know?

One day a year.

Why is that there are always people who just feel like it’s ok to just, ..TAKE? They are responsible for the outcome of all this. Some of us are saddened by the fact that so many more won’t get to see any of it because of vandalism and the like, ..poor behavior, deplorable, ..it sickens me.

Beautiful building.

A Look Inside the Former 'New York State Lunatic Asylum at Utica' | June 20, 2015 @ 8:51 am

[…] quietly announced a few tours available throughout May and June. Since I’ve now been to the Willard Asylum for the Insane in Ovid and the Richardson-Olmstead Complex in Buffalo, I hopped at the opportunity to get a peek […]

Will there be a tour in 2016?

Not sure Sandra. Historically, tours haven’t been announced until about a month beforehand.

Group homes have been replacing the old Institutions but there will always be a need for a secure facility for those afflicted with extreme mental conditions. Group homes are not an answer for these unfortunate souls and Control Drugs can not solve everything. Even worse and threatening the ability of people who need the use of group homes due to mental problems is our current governors use of these homes to house Forensic individuals (Pedophiles) . They take the place of individuals on waiting lists from families desperate for help.

Anything set up for 2016 -Anastasia

of course I did not see Sandra’s question, until now, I would like to be on the informational email alerts for this… Please let me know if there is the way to check up on it.

Any update on 2016 tours? I’ve tried looking online but am not finding anything for this year. Thank you!

Haven’t heard anything yet–sorry!

Hi! I’m a writer for Atlas Obscura, and I’m currently working on a place page for Willard Psychiatric Center.

We like to illustrate our write ups with lots of photos, and I was wondering if you would allow us to use some of your photos of Willard. We would gladly credit you in whatever format you prefer. Please let me know!

will there be any tours in 2017?

Historically, the tours at Willard were always done in May. A couple years ago, the crowd size was far beyond what the organizers were anticipating, and as a result, things didn’t go according to plan. If you Google news about Willard you’ll find some news stories about it. There hasn’t been any discussion of a tour since then that I’m aware of.

U want to attend a tour..Is there lodging nearby?

As of right now, I don’t believe there are talks to do another tour. But, to answer your question, the nearest hotels or motels to Ovid are probably a 20-25 minute drive. There may be Airbnb options closer, but I’ve never looked.

Book Roundup: January 2018 | A Fuller Existence February 5, 2018 @ 7:27 pm

[…] and they had been photographed and displayed in museums around the country. Also, according to Exploring Upstate up until a few years ago, you could actually go on a tour of Willard. So creepy and yet so cool. […]

I assume they have permanently decided to stop tours? That’s to bad. I would have loved to see inside.

Creepy Finger Lakes, Episode 3: Willard Asylum for the Insane – The Braless Gourmet November 7, 2018 @ 12:54 pm

[…] “An Inside Tour of ‘Willard Asylum for the Chronic Insane,” available here. […]

I don’t know if this has already been said but frankly, I’m not reading through 95 comments to check. Anyway. It may seem cruel or heartless to many nowadays, in our touchy-feely times but, perhaps the removal of personal belongings at the beginning of an inmate’s life at Willard, was grounded in cold, hard logic. Perhaps it was thought that the personal possessions of the individuals concerned, would be constant reminders of traumas in their lives, prior to their Willard residency. Maybe the removal of personal belongings was an attempt at a truly ‘fresh start’?

The strange tale of Ern(e)st Szameitat | Hospitalstraße 22 April 11, 2020 @ 4:37 am

[…] A picture of Willard today Source […]

I also graduated from Willard School of Nursing, 50 years ago. As the Class of 1971 will be having a reunion next year I have been revisiting anything related to Willard. I would write more, however, I fear this may be a futile attempt. Several of us live outside NYS, today but I know a tour would be very interesting. As students we had different assignments to a specific patient & I believe the few weeks with them, hopefully, provided a sense that they mattered.

Books Read in January and February – margaretL04 March 17, 2021 @ 3:54 pm

[…] about asylums. The tension is real! I grew up on Seneca Lake, roughly across and down some from The Willard Asylum for the Chronic Insane, and Willard, as we called it, loomed largely in our young imaginations. I used to terrify myself […]

“BORLEY RECTORY: THE MOST HAUNTED HOUSE IN THE UK” and More Strange True Stories! #WeirdDarkness - Weird Darkness October 19, 2022 @ 12:11 am

[…] can also see what happened to the patients who ended their lives at the asylum. The morgue is still largely intact, with the autopsy tables in place next to the drawers where bodies were kept. The crematorium […]

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York Castle Museum is in the centre of York, close to Clifford's Tower and the Coppergate Shopping Centre. Follow the green pedestrian signs to the 'Castle Area'.

For a map click here

Group Bookings

We welcome groups and offer discounts for parties of 10 or more. Please click here to find out more.

Accessibility

For car park information click here

Museum building

The main entrance area is fully accessible.

The museum is divided in half, with both halves arranged over three floors, linked by several staircases. There are handrails on all the stairs and seating is available around the museum.

The ground floor is fully accessible on one side of the building, which includes York Castle Prison and The Sixties exhibitions.

The Victorian Street, which takes up the other side of the ground floor, is accessible via a wheelchair ramp.

The upper floors of the historic buildings are unfortunately not wheelchair accessible, however the 1914 galleries are now fully wheelchair accessible thanks to a new lift installed as part of the major redevelopment work that has recently been completed.

Please note: Due to fire evacuation requirements, the 1914 exhibition can only allow access to two wheelchair users at a time.

There is one disabled toilet with baby changing facilities on the ground floor.

Exercise Yard

The yard outside the back of the museum, close to the York Castle Prison area, is fully accessible.

Pushchairs cannot be taken into the galleries. A ‘buggy park’ and a choice of baby carriers are available free of charge.

The main shop is fully accessible. There is restricted space in the small Pantry shop, which sells food and confectionery, but staff are happy to help with service.

Our cafe, in the entrance area of the museum, is fully accessible.

If you would like to make special arrangements for your museum visit, please contact us and we will be happy to help.

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Take a Tour

Standard tour.

Type: Guided | Duration: 1.5 hours

Step inside the walls of Canada’s oldest penitentiary and explore the living and working areas, some dating back to the 1830s. Hear the personalized accounts from former staff and learn about the history and the daily routines, including stories of escapes, riots and everything in between on this guided tour. Available in French as well.

This tour contains subject matter designed for a mature audience -  parental discretion is advised.

Extended Tour

Type: Guided | Duration:  2.5 hours

This tour covers the Standard Tour content as well as a more in-depth look behind the walls exploring the history of Kingston Penitentiary and Regional Treatment Centre. Discover more of the site and hear about the history of additional areas, such as the hospital, gymnasium, and school. With smaller group sizes the Extended Tour provides a greater opportunity to connect with retired corrections staff and tour guides.

This tour contains subject matter designed for a mature audience - parental discretion is advised.

Express Tour

Type: Guided | Duration: 45 minutes

This fully accessible guided tour offers an introductory experience of Kingston Penitentiary. Guests will have the opportunity to visit many of the highlights of the institution, including the North Gate, a cell range, the canteen and social services area to hear about the 1971 riot, and more.

This tour contains subject matter designed for a mature audience - parental discretion is advised.

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Incarcerated Person Visit

The Department of Correction (DOC) has resumed in-person visits with enhanced safety measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19. You no longer need to schedule a visit.

Before you visit an incarcerated person at a DOC correctional facility, please review the rules for COVID-19 safety, identification, dress code, and what you’re allowed to bring. You should also check the DOC Virtual Visitors’ Center  for detailed information about DOC’s visitor policies and procedures.

DOC continues to offer televisits for customers unable to visit an incarcerated person in person.

Submit a Televisit Request Form.

COVID Safety Rules

All visitors must follow health and safety rules to limit the spread of COVID-19 in jails.

This includes:

• Completing a COVID screening and affirmation form
• Temperature taking
• Social distancing
• Wearing a face covering

To visit an incarcerated person, you must follow the DOC dress code policy and wear appropriate clothing. This policy is for the safety and security of staff, incarcerated people, and visitors, as well as to maintain a family-friendly environment.

You will not be allowed to go to the visit floor of a jail if you wear:

• Overly suggestive clothing
• More than one layer of clothing
• Clothing in which contraband and prohibited items can be hidden
• Clothing with holes or rips more than three inches above the knee 
• Hooded garments 
• Hats and head coverings (excluding religious head coverings)
• Clothing identifying a specific gang by name or logo 
• Clothing that makes explicit reference to obscene language, drugs, sex, or violence 
• Swimming attire 
• See-through garments 
• Uniforms 
• Jewelry (excluding a wedding ring and one religious medal. The medal must be no more than two inches in diameter and hung on a chain. The chain must be no wider than one quarter-inch in diameter and no longer than 24 inches.)
• Tops and dresses which expose the chest, stomach, or back 
• Shorts, skirts, or dresses with a hem more than three inches above the knee 
• Spandex leggings unless covered by a top, shorts, skirt, or dress with a hem no more than three inches above the knee 
• Outer garments including coats, shawls, ponchos, jackets, vests, gloves, or over-boots or overshoes 

All visitors must wear undergarments.

If your attire violates the dress code, you are still permitted a contact visit if you agree to wear a cover-up garment provided by DOC. If you refuse to wear the cover-up garment, you will be denied a visit.

Secure storage lockers will be provided at facilities. On Rikers Island, you must go to the Visit Control Building to get the coins needed to use a locker.

Learn more about the DOC Dress Code Policy.

Call 311 or 212-NEW-YORK (212-639-9675) for help.

Identification Requirements

Adults and Youth Ages 16 and Older

If you are 16 and older, you must present one form of valid identification to visit a DOC incarcerated person. The ID must have a photograph and signature, and it cannot be expired or altered.  

Examples of acceptable ID include: 

• Driver license (from any state or territory in the U.S.)
• Department of Motor Vehicles non-driver license identification card (from any state or territory in the U.S.)
• Employment identification (from any state or territory in the U.S.)
• New York State benefits identification card (such as Medicaid/Food Stamp Photographic Identification)
• College identification (from any state or territory in the U.S. The college or university ID must show the current semester. If the ID does not have a sticker with the current semester, the student must present a document from the Registrar’s office which says the student is currently enrolled.)
• U.S. Armed Services identification card
• Resident Alien Card or Permanent Resident Card Issued by the U.S. Department of Justice (Green Card)
• Passport (from any country)
• Consulate-issued identification or diplomatic identification

High school IDs are not accepted.

Children Under 16

Children under the age of 16 who are accompanied by an adult over the age of 18 are not required to present any identification.

A 16-year-old or 17-year-old with valid identification may accompany a child under the age of 16 if he or she is the parent of that child and the incarcerated person being visited is also the parent of the same child. In this case, the 16-year-old or 17-year-old must produce a birth certificate for the child under the age of 16.

Prohibited Items

You are not allowed to bring certain items into City Jails, the Rikers Island Visit Control Building, or the Hospital Prison wards. DOC provides a full list of prohibited items online in their Visit Handbook as well as by phone. 

The following is a partial list of prohibited items:

• Guns and bullets 
• Illegal drugs 
• Syringes 
• Knives, box cutters, needles, razors, scissors or any other sharp objects, brass knuckles or any other weapons 
• Tools 
• Metal or glass objects 
• Padlocks 
• Nail clippers and fingernail files 
• Cigarettes, cigars, rolling paper, chewing tobacco, or pipes 
• Tape or other adhesives 
• Explosive devices 
• Matches or lighters 
• Electronic devices, including cell phones, iPods, iPads, MP3 players, e-readers, pagers, beepers, laptops, cameras, recording devices or radios 
• Digital media including CDs and DVDs 
• Law enforcement badges and equipment 
• Liquids and beverages except two clear plastic bottles with non-alcoholic beverages for babies accompanying visitors 
• Metal hairclips and hairpins 
• Non-prescription medication 
• Non-prescription sunglasses 
• No more than a total of three books, newspapers, and/or magazines (except when included in an incarcerated person's package) 
• Photographs (except when included in an incarcerated person's package) 

You are allowed to bring prescription medication in its original container. Except for life-saving prescription medication, all other medication must be stored in a locker and cannot be brought to the facility visit floor. 

Download the DOC Visit Handbook.

Visit Schedule

Monthly visitor schedules and rules for Rikers Island, the Brooklyn Detention Complex, the Manhattan Detention Complex, and the Vernon C. Bain Center are available online and by phone.

Visiting schedules are based on the first letter of the incarcerated individual’s last name. Visitors should check the visitation schedule to be sure their friend or family member is eligible for a visit on a specific day.

• Mondays and Tuesdays: No visits allowed.
• Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays: In-person visits based on monthly schedule.
• Fridays: Televisits only.

Learn more about the DOC Visit Schedule.

Travel Directions

You are encouraged to take public transportation to Rikers Island. The MTA's Q100 bus goes over the Rikers Island Bridge and stops directly in front of the Rikers Island Central Visit House. 

MTA bus routes and schedules are available.  Visit the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) website.

If you drive, there is very limited parking at Hazen Street and 19th Avenue in Queens. You will need to take the MTA's Q100 bus over the Rikers Island Bridge to the Rikers Island Central Visit House.

Get travel directions to Rikers Island and other DOC facilities.

Rikers Visit Bus

DOC provides free bus transportation for visitors to and from Rikers Island Wednesday through Sunday. The bus stops are located in Harlem and Brooklyn.

• The Harlem bus stop is on the corner of East 125th Street and 3rd Avenue. 
• The Brooklyn bus stop is on Jay Street between Fulton Street and Willoughby Street. 

Anyone who is 16 or older must present valid current identification. 

All buses are accessible to people with disabilities and are staffed by trained drivers.

Learn more about the Rikers Visit Bus.

Bus Schedules and Travel Time

The typical one-way route time is 45 minutes for the Harlem stop and 60 minutes for the Brooklyn stop, but it depends on traffic conditions. Departure times may vary from those in the schedule.

Download the Rikers Visit Bus Schedule.

Disclaimer:

The City intends to use the data collected from this survey to generally add and improve City services. Survey participation is voluntary. Participants in this survey will not receive further communication from the City with regards to this survey.

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Our staff will not be in the office for their safety - please email all communication requests to [email protected]. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

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York Prison Visitation Center

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General Facility Information

Visitation table of contents.

• What time can I visit my inmate at York County PA Prison?
• Can I bring my inmate anything in the visiting room?
• Can I request longer visitations with the facility?
• Where can I get a visitation application for York County PA Prison? - Click to download.
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Visitation Hours

The county jail provides on-site and online visitation options to help inmates maintain contact with family and friends..

On-Site Visitation Hours

• Monday: 8:30 AM - 4:00 PM
• Thursday: 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
• Friday: 8:30 AM - 7:00 PM
• Saturday: 9:00 AM - 3:30 PM
• Sunday: 9:00 AM - 3:30 PM
• Holidays - call for available times and reserve yours as these days are the busiest times of the year

Visitors must follow the dress code and behavior guidelines whether they are visiting here or from their computer/smartphone. Violations may result in the termination of the visit.

Online Video Visitation Online visits can be scheduled in advance, allowing remote connection from home or work. Visitors must set up an account and adhere to dress and behavior guidelines. Visits cost a minimum of $0.25 per minute and are monitored for security.

General Information Visitation hours and policies are subject to change. Call the facility at 717-840-7580 for updates. For more information and to set up an online visitation account.

General Visitation Information

Visitation information.

In-person visits and non-essential travel resumed Friday, December 10th, 2021 for residents in "clean" (COVID-recovered units or areas with no positive test results) housing areas. Visitors may now schedule in-person visits through ViaPath visitation scheduling . If you are unsure if your loved one is in a "clean" unit, you may call the prison and speak to a staff member in the Records Department. Due to high call volume, there may be a wait time. In most cases, your loved one can tell you via the messaging app or by phone if they are eligible for a visit.

• Visitors must be pre-approved and on an active visiting list provided by the inmate.
• Visitors must log onto the visitation scheduling app to schedule a visit. See Visitation Hours.
• Visits may be scheduled 7 days in advance, but no later than 24 hours before the proposed visit.
• Only 1 housing unit is permitted to utilize the visitation area at any given time. Each housing unit has a corresponding visitation schedule, and the available scheduling blocks will be posted.

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York County will pay $135K to prisoners over treatment by controversial jail trainer C-SAU

York County officials will pay $135,000 to plaintiffs alleging they suffered from unconstitutional conditions of confinement at the York County Prison, according to a settlement..

In 2021, over 45 current and former prisoners filed a class action suit in the U.S. District Court in Harrisburg regarding York County and its officials hiring Joseph Garcia and Corrections Special Application Unit, LLC, or  C-SAU , based in Greenville, South Carolina, to develop policies for York County Prison and to train staff members.

"The uses of violence and militaristic tactics and weapons specified in this Complaint are dangerous, rampant, merciless, unrelenting, unjustified, immoral, and unconstitutional," wrote attorneys Leticia C. Chavez-Freed and Alan Denenberg, who represent the plaintiffs. "County Defendants have a non-delegable duty to ensure they implement constitutional training of and policies for YCP staff. They knowingly and purposely failed to do so through their own conduct and decision-making, as well as through hiring, retaining, and working with Garcia and CSAU1."

More: York County commissioners approve 2-year, $252,770 contract with controversial jail trainer

In 2020, the York County Board of Commissioners approved a  $122,850 contract  with C-SAU to provide equipment such as Kel-Tec KSG tactical, pump-action shotguns and training for up to 18 corrections officers.

One year later, the commissioners approved a two-year, $252,770 contract extension with the contractor.

In April 2021, The Pennsylvania Prison Society, a 230-year-old nonprofit organization that advocates for humane conditions in jails and prisons,  wrote prison Warden Clair Doll a letter expressing concerns .

More: 'Ridiculous': York County Prison's controversial trainer pepper-sprayed deputies in S.C.

According to court documents obtained through a Right-To-Know Request, the 32 current plaintiffs qualify for settlement funds and are not make "disparaging comments, remarks or statements or social media posts" regarding county officials or the subject matter of the lawsuit.

The plaintiffs also reserve the right to continue to pursue any and all claims against Garcia and C-SAU.

Denenberg said Garcia has not responded to the lawsuit or any attempts to contact him. He said the next step is to file a motion requesting a hearing.

This article originally appeared on York Daily Record: York County will pay $135K to prisoners over treatment by C-SAU

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