America's Most Haunted Penitentiaries

The Old State Penitentiary in Boise, Idaho have a few stories to tell, that may or may not lead to think that it's due to paranormal activity. The penitentiary was the first one build in the area and it hold 13,000 convicts including some women. They had death row, gallows and a solitary confinement called Siberia.

It's been said that if you visit the penitentiary you could experience the feeling of dread, oppression and sorrow. People have witnessed ghostly apparitions, strange rattling sound and very spooky noises.

The penitentiary was closed in December 3, 1973, but it's still open to public for daily ghosts tours.

The beautiful Gothic castle like style, Moundsville State Penitentiary or also known as West Virginia Penitentiary, is said to be one of the most haunted locations in the country. Many paranormal researchers have been investigating this location, including Ghost Hunters TAPS, Ghost Adventures and other documentaries. The penitentiary is said to be constructed on a Native American Burial grounds and many believe that's why all the negative energy and angry spirits.

A total of 85 men were hung and other 9 were electrocuted. Not just that, but many suicides, murder, violent punishing from the cell warrens, which contributed to hundreds of inmate's death. The hot spots are: The chapel, the shower cages, death row, the sugar shack (which was a recreational center for the inmates). Many can hear strange noises and screams. There is the "shadow man" who is said to be one of the officers who were taking care of the cells or maybe a inmate. Some paranormal researchers went to West Virginia State Penitentiary and when she heard someone following her in the dark on the long hallway, she turned around and snapped a picture, where they capture a black figure of a man.

There is a very dark history behind the Eastern State Penitentiary. The penitentiary was build to keep the inmates out of communications. Horrible things went on at this location. Inmates were placed in solitude which drove them mad and insane. The interactions with other inmates was prohibited and punishable, severely punishable!

On of the torture techniques they used was the Mad Chair, which they would sit an inmate for days without any movements whatsoever. The Water Bath, where they placed an inmate in icy cold waters and then have them hung by the wall in the cold winter days.

Most of the hauntings that goes on in the Eastern State Penitentiary are unexplained sounds, voices, laughter and cackling on the cell block #12. On block #4 and 6 are said to be haunted by many spirits. Ghostly figures and shapes can be seen here. One of the best witnesses of paranormal activity in the building, is the case of the locksmith, called Gary Johnson. Gary was in the penitentiary to do some work on some old locks in the cells. He was working on one particular cell, when he had a feeling of someone watching him, and when he looked up he witnessed a large, black shadow that jumped from one cell to another across from him.

The TV Show, Ghost Hunters TAPS, went to Eastern State to investigate and they caught in their DVR cameras a shadow figure in the catwalk.