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Deer Lodge, Montana
Photo: Montanabw, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The Old Montana Prison in Deer Lodge opened in 1871 as the Montana Territorial Prison and held inmates until the last were moved to a new facility around 1979. It was known for overcrowding and harsh conditions, and in April 1959 a riot left Deputy Warden Theodore Rothe dead and held the warden hostage for three days before the National Guard stepped in; the two ringleaders died in a murder-suicide. Today the complex is a museum, and it has drawn paranormal investigators from across the country. Ghost Adventures filmed here in an episode that aired in 2015, and Destination Fear investigated in 2020. Visitors report strange sounds and a cold presence in the gallows room. Ghost Files, the YouTube series with Ryan Bergara and Shane Madej, investigated the prison in "The Chilling Tunnel of The Old Montana Prison" (2023).
Open as the Old Prison Museum, part of the Powell County museum complex, with seasonal hours. Ghost tours and overnight investigations are offered on select dates; book ahead.
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