I have come to believe that history is probably my all-time favorite aspect of travel. We traveled all of 30 miles for today's history lesson and are we glad we did. I will preface this with there are parts of this prison's history that are disturbing. Maybe this is a lesson as George Santayana wrote, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”

The Nevada State Prison, located in Carson City, is one of the most historically significant sites in the state. Operating from 1862 to 2012, the prison witnessed over 150 years of Nevada history, from its earliest days as a territorial facility to a fully operational state institution. It housed thousands of inmates over the years and was the site of notable events, including the nation’s first gas chamber execution, a prison-run casino, and the discovery of Ice Age fossils within its quarry. The sandstone used to construct the prison also contributed to several of Nevada’s landmark buildings, including the State Capitol.

From the beginning, this prison was a work in progress; the crude rock and wood structures burnt to the ground twice, in 1867 and 1870, eventually being replaced with the earliest sandstone structures.
This was the original entrance guard gate. Not very imposing.
A major milestone was 1924-1925, when much of what existed at the time was replaced with what we saw today. The North and West Wings were constructed, forming two sides of what would become a roughly square footprint.





What an opportunity to learn more about this particular prison industry. Wow.

The old prison yard, with cell blocks rising above it on the north and east, looks like something out of a movie. And in fact it has appeared in a few films over the years, from “State Penitentiary” in 1950 to “An Innocent Man” in 1989 starring Tom Selleck. This cinephile was intrigued.
The filmmakers used several hundred real prison inmates as background extras during the shoot (though they excluded those on death row or in solitary confinement).
During filming breaks, Selleck famously played basketball with the actual inmates. When he noticed the prison's outdoor basketball court had severely deteriorated over the years, he paid out of his own pocket to have the court repaved. I knew I liked Tom Selleck. This is pretty cool. Can you imagine?






Rod pointed out this area between rows of cells. It was here guards could eavesdrop. Ooky.

I have to wonder who wrote, "I'm ready" and what was he ready for?


A meander through the maximum security cellblock was eye opening. This guy made me happy for prisons. Sylvester Azbill, a two-time candidate for Nevada Secretary of State, killed his wife by drugging her and setting her on fire. Three trials and many appeals still led to his conviction of 1st degree murder and arson. He was sentenced to life without parole. This was his home since at the time their was no death penality. Yikes!
Here I share the history of the prison's executions (in case you want to bypass this history). The prison is rather famous for them. It became the state-designated facility for all hangings in 1903. Interestingly, in response to Mormon preferences, the Nevada State Legislature passed a statute in 1910 that became effective in January 1911, allowing condemned prisoners to choose between execution by shooting or hanging.
Thie first gas chamber attempts were crude and not very effective. This room, within an existing building was constructed.
The dining hall was built in the mid-1900s as part of a major modernization and expansion, serving as the central culinary and dining facility for inmates. As Nevada's primary correctional facility for over a century, the dining hall was the focal point for daily meal services for hundreds of inmates. Food was often passed through a slot in the wall, and inmates would sit on metal chairs in an area surrounded by chain-link security features.




The was the original "hole". Dug into the ground before the 1880s, the dungeon was a harsh, lightless subterranean cave where the most severely disciplined inmates were sent.

Our very thorough tour ended in the museum. I was very impressed by the inmate art. Meet Buck Nimy (born in AZ in 1911). He grew up as a cowboy and came to Nevada to work as a ranch hand in the mid-20s. In 1935, he was arrested and charged with attempting to rob a shipment of bullion.
Buck was sentenced to Nevada State Prison where he discovered and developed his artistic skills, drawing other inmates and western scenes. When he was released he began selling thousands of postcards of his art each month. He made a good living until his death in 1959.
Will James has an even more interesting story. Born in Canada in 1882, he became a cowboy and arrived in Nevada in 1914. He was quickly arrested in Ely for Cattle rustling and sent here with a 12 to 18 month sentence. While encarcerated, he worked on his art and actually illustrated his parole application with a drawing. Our of prison, he worked as a movie stuntman and served in the army in WWI. He returned to Reno and panted the poster for the first annual Reno Rodeo. He also spent a short period of time as a student at Yale.
By 1922, Will was living in a cabin in Washoe valley. Here began his life as an author. Ultimately he published 23 books, five of which were made into films. His book Smokey the Cowhorse, published in 1926, won the Newbery Medal for children's literature. He was inducted into the Nevada Writers Hall of Fame and also into the Hall of Great Westerners of the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum. Interesting stuff.
I was curious as to how Al got to go "through the prison". Formal public tours were not offered in the 1930s, however, the facility was a surprising tourist attraction because it housed a legalized, inmate-run casino. Law-abiding citizens regularly visited the prison's gate to take in these unique attractions, including the prehistoric fossilized footprints discovered in the prison yard. Hence the need for postcards. Wow.


There was even a postcard for the Nation's first gas chamber. Cyanide gas was used within the sealed barbershop/butcher shop in the yard. Strange postcard to send. I wish I could read the message on the back.