Burlington County Prison, Former penitentiary in Mount Holly Township, United States
Burlington County Prison is a three-story stone building in Mount Holly Township, New Jersey, that served as a working jail and is now listed as a National Historic Landmark. It has individual cells, brick passageways, wooden floors, and two rear wings connected to a central section.
Robert Mills, a student of Benjamin Latrobe, designed the building in 1810 as one of his first independent projects in the country, and it opened the following year. The design reflected ideas about prison reform that were beginning to take shape in the United States at that time.
The entrance of the prison carries the motto 'Justice Which, While it Punishes, Would Endeavor to Reform the Offender', a phrase that was meant to be seen by everyone who passed through the doors. It reflects a shift in thinking that was unusual for the early 1800s, when most places of detention were simply meant to confine.
The building is open Thursday through Sunday, with self-guided tours and audio guides available in English and Spanish. Allow enough time to go through the different floors and wings, as the layout covers several areas that take a while to explore fully.
The prison operated continuously from 1811 to 1965, a span that makes it the longest-running jail in the country. Original cells from the early 1800s are still visible today alongside later additions, letting visitors see how the space changed across different eras.
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