A prison well suited for the frontier days of lore where bad men and women lived in an untamed territory and occasionally needed locking up for bad behavior. Like Pearl Hart a repeat criminal who dressed like a man and robbed stage coaches. She was a guest at the prison until her pardon by the govenor.

If the rock walls Yuma Territorial Prison could talk they would tell tales of misery and torment under the scorching desert heat of Southwest Arizona. And the locals called it a country club.

Inmates built the prison which opened in 1876. They built it then lived in the cells they constructed. Over 3,000 prisoners walked through the wrought iron gates until the closing in 1909. So much of the prison is preserved for viewing, touring, touching, and imaging what life was like where conditions were especially harsh in the summer and rules strictly enforced by staff. Close the door behind you when you enter the Dark Cell. You cannot see your hand in the blackness.

Now a state park, the prison is viewable as you pass over the Colorado River on Interstate 8. The grounds are free to roam and displays showcase the mugshots of the men and women who stayed here. It’s true history at its best. Listen for references to the Yuma Territorial Prison in movies.

Yuma Territorial Prison State Historic Park
220 N Prison Hill Rd, Yuma, AZ 85364
(928) 783-4771 / http://www.yumaprison.org