Former State Prison Site

Built in Thomaston in 1824 to house maximum security prisoners, the Maine State Prison changed repeatedly over its 178-year history. It first used underground cells, where prisoners were lowered each night into holes and raised during the day to work in the prison’s stone quarry, with iron bars over the openings and only partial tarp cover in bad weather. Because these conditions were inhumane, the underground cells were soon replaced by long, low wooden barracks, which were later replaced by a multi-story brick facility. In 1923, a major fire in the prison broom shop destroyed most of the buildings, and the state rebuilt the prison in 1924 with long narrow hallways and cells measuring seven feet by six feet. Overcrowding and lack of room to expand led to construction of a new prison in Warren in 2002, and prisoners were moved there by guarded bus over several nights in February. By early summer, the Thomaston prison was demolished, and concrete and stone were pushed into the quarry hole, covered with dirt and loam. The prison’s inmates were also known for woodworking, producing in the 19th century horse-drawn carriages, sleighs, brooms, buggy whips, and woven baskets, and later making wooden boxes, cutting boards, sailing vessel models, stools, and small tables. The Maine State Prison Showroom on Main Street continues to sell handmade items from correctional facilities across the state.

Thomaston, Maine · United States