Abandoned Missouri State Penitentiary With Gas Chamber

Located in the state capitol of Jefferson City, the centuries old Missouri State Penitentiary still stands proud, towering high above the muddy banks of the Missouri River, while still serving as a standing symbol of the criminal justice system and its evolution over time. The prison first opened its doors back in 1836 and operated for a whopping 168 years before finally closing down in 2004. The Missouri State Penitentiary often referred to as MSP for short, has a truly unique architectural design, with its distinctive Gothic Revival style buildings and giant intimidating stone walls solidifying a harsh reminder of a now bygone era within our country’s criminal justice system. Throughout its long and storied history, the prison housed some of the most notorious criminals in the State of Missouri, as its imposing walls bore witness to the harsh realities of incarceration during the troubling times of the 19th and 20th centuries. Some of the notable inmates included Martin Luther King Jr assassin Jame