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S. M. Hulse

The Old Montana Prison


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Guard tower at the Old Montana Prison.
While writing Black River, I made several visits to the Old Montana Prison in Deer Lodge, Montana. Now a museum, the Old Montana Prison was built with inmate labor and housed inmates from 1871 to 1979, when operations were moved to a newer prison facility nearby. While the prison in Black River is fictional, elements of it were certainly inspired by the real Old Montana Prison.
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Mountains visible above the wall near the Maximum Security facilities.
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Barbed wire coiled atop the exterior wall.
Most of the Old Montana Prison has remained largely unchanged since it was used to house inmates. There are a few exhibits inside what used to be the administrative buildings, including an exhibit about the real riot that took place at the prison in 1959.
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Part of a display about the '59 riot, including a revolver like the one Wes owns in the novel.
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Makeshift weapons confiscated from inmates.
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The prison chapel.
At one point during the 1959 riot, the Montana National Guard fired a bazooka at the main cell block; the damage is still visible today. The interior of the cell block is quite eerie now that it's empty--you can hear doves cooing and fluttering near the ceiling, and the high exterior windows are dingy and let in little light--but it's not hard to imagine how miserable it must have been inside when crowded with inmates. 
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The interior of the main cellblock.
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Staircase used to move between tiers inside the main cellblock.
If you happen to find yourself passing through Deer Lodge, the Old Montana Prison is a worthwhile stop. Even if you can't make it in person, you can learn more at the Old Montana Prison Facebook page or website.
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S. M. Hulse visiting the Old Montana Prison. (Photo Credit: Gil Hulse)

Unless otherwise noted, all photographs on this page were taken by S. M. Hulse.
© 2014-2022 S. M. Hulse.