Biker Rags

DAY RIDE TO BRUSHY MOUNTAIN STATE PENITENTIARY

On Wednesday, May 22, 2019 we took a Day Ride to visit the museum at Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary. We got there by riding the Devil’s Triangle, a ride we’ve done several times before. If you are interested in that route see our posts HERE and HERE.

The irony of Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary is that such a scary place is located in such a beautiful mountainous region. And now that the prison has been turned into a museum and moonshine manufacturer- it allows those of us on the “outside” to get a glimpse into life behind bars. (1896 – 2009)

Our post today is primarily photos we shot during our day, but for a more detailed history- click HERE.

Here’s the sign you’ll see as you approach the prison.
View of the prison once you past the now refurbished maintenance building.
Tickets are $12 per person. Well worth the cost of admission.
First we ate lunch at the Warden’s Table, inside the building where you buy tickets. You can also buy some moonshine while you’re there.
Lunch.
Approaching the prison. It’s a self guided tour- so you can take as much time as you like.
Entering the prison. Must of hurt whoever tried to smash that door with their fist.
Walking by the prison intake and administration offices.
We started our tour here at the chapel now converted into a museum. We watched a video and looked at items on view.

There was quite a bit of artwork made by inmates on view- but of course, this one caught our eyes.

The infamous “Hole”. You didn’t want to end up here.
From inside the “hole”. Couldn’t get out fast enough.

We left the museum and stopped by the laundry room. Bet it was scorching in there by mid summer.
View of prison from backside.
Now here’s the part that we spent much of our time in- the main prison cells. Four floors of cells and VERY eerie.

This was James Earl Ray’s cell at one point.

Fences were erected over the walkway on the upper levels after a prisoner was flung to his death by other prisoners.

Leaving the prison.
Put this visit on your bucket list. There’s nothing else like it.