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Eastern State Penitentiary’s Solitary Model Held 1,700

By Drooid · Oct 27, 2026, 4:16 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

The United States opened Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia with a solitary-confinement model.
It was designed for 250 inmates, yet housed up to 1,700 prisoners in the mid-1920s.
Benjamin Franklin and Dr. Benjamin Rush backed the prison’s emphasis on human dignity.
The prison closed in 1970 and now operates as a museum.
Executive director Kerry Sautner says the site encourages understanding of justice system flaws.

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Story summary

The United States opened Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia with a solitary-confinement model.
It was designed for 250 inmates, yet housed up to 1,700 prisoners in the mid-1920s.
Benjamin Franklin and Dr. Benjamin Rush backed the prison’s emphasis on human dignity.
The prison closed in 1970 and now operates as a museum.
Executive director Kerry Sautner says the site encourages understanding of justice system flaws.