USDB - old school.

In a post last week about the likely accomodations of Lieutenant Watada should his Courts Martial go as I expect, vice how he hopes (although who knows, the martyr streak may run in him) there was some confusion about the United States Disciplinary Barracks vice the United States Penitentiary. While those were resolved, I got asked if I had any pictures of the old USDB - and the answer is yes.

The DB is technically, I believe, the oldest continually operational federal prison, and has, over it's history actually housed federal prisoners in addtion to military prisoners. It was DB prisoners, civil and military, who built the "Big House" in Leavenworth at the dawn of the previous century.

The original prison was established in 1875 and contained in the buildings of the old Quartermaster Depot, made available when depot operations were moved to Rock Island Arsenal.

The old DB was called "The Castle" and was one of only 3-5 prisons of this type built. It had gotten so old and diplapidated, and was not suitable for modern notions of penology, that it got replaced by the new DB mentioned in the previous post.

The "Castle" is the structure with the silver dome. It has been completely demolished and carted away to landfill. I thought we missed an opportunity in the demolition - they should have taken it apart level by level - and taken the opportunity to see what sort of ingenious methods the inmates used to hide contraband and who knows what activities over the years. The rest of the buldings remain standing as the Garrison scratches it's collective head trying to figure out what to do with 'em.

Back in the day, if you were a soldier, you could get tours of the prison. Sobering - it sucked to be a prisoner - and it sucked to be a guard. I suspect it still sucks for prisoners, but the new facility is better overall for both classes of people. Here's a glimpse into one of the cell blocks.

From the outside, at ground level, looking just over the wall, you can see why it got the name, "The Castle."

This picture is taken from the west looking east, from about where the Post Veterinarian office is today.

The wall still stands - the building is a bad memory.