Missouri State Penitentiary: 168 YearsInside America's Bloodiest 47 Acres.

A Rare Look Into the Missouri State Penitentiary! The Missouri State Penitentiary was called the bloodiest 47 acres in America. I spent a day filming inside the gas chamber, the limestone dungeons, and the cell one inmate painted entirely black. For 168 years, the Missouri State Penitentiary in Jefferson City earned a name no other American prison wanted: the bloodiest 47 acres in America. I spent a day filming inside the walls — the gas chamber, the dungeons, the painted cells, and the housing units where Sonny Liston learned to box and James Earl Ray planned his escape. This is the full story of the oldest continually operating prison west of the Mississippi, from its first cell block in 1836 to the day it closed in 2004. Inside this documentary: • The gas chamber that still stands, and the two chairs used together only once • The dungeons carved into limestone, where men were chained for weeks • The 1954 riot — 2,500 inmates, 18 escapes, four dead • Pretty Boy Floyd, Sonny Liston, James Earl Ray, and Blanche Caldwell Barrow • Firebug Johnson, who spent 17 years in solitary confinement • The cell one inmate painted entirely black • What I caught on camera in an empty cell, and didn't notice until later VISITING THE PRISON The Missouri State Penitentiary is open to the public for guided history tours and ghost and paranormal tours in downtown Jefferson City, Missouri. Tour information: missouripentours.com *CORRECTION* Roscoe “Red” Jackson was imprisoned at the Missouri State Penitentiary (MSP) in Jefferson City for about 29 months, but he was NOT executed there. He was returned to Galena in Stone County because Missouri law then required executions to occur in the county where the defendant was tried. On May 21, 1937, shortly after 6:00 a.m., Jackson was hanged on a scaffold in the Galena courthouse square. ABOUT THIS CHANNEL Backroads & Backstories covers Missouri history, abandoned places, and the stories behind them. My passion is storytelling and bringing you interesting, little-known topics. Subscribe if that sounds like your kind of thing. DISCLAIMER I am not affiliated with, sponsored by, or associated with the Missouri State Penitentiary in any way. I created this video independently out of my interest in MSP's history and the stories connected to it. If this video sparks your curiosity, I highly encourage you to take an official Missouri State Penitentiary tour. Several tours are available, including history tours, ghost and paranormal tours, and opportunities to visit areas such as the historic Warden's Residence. It is a fascinating place to experience in person, and the official tours are a great way to learn more about its history. #MissouriStatePenitentiary #Documentary #AbandonedPlaces #missouri #truecrime #history