Sing Sing, Maximum security prison in Ossining, United States
Sing Sing is a maximum security prison in Ossining on the east bank of the Hudson River in New York State. The complex spreads across a large site with multiple buildings constructed from local marble quarried directly on the grounds.
The facility opened in 1826 under the direction of Elam Lynds, with one hundred prisoners from Auburn constructing their own cells from stone. The prison later became a site for various reforms in the American penal system.
The phrase 'up the river' became part of everyday speech because convicted criminals traveled north along the Hudson from the city. People still use these words today without always knowing they refer to this prison.
The facility houses around 1700 inmates and employs roughly 900 staff who run education programs and rehabilitation workshops. Visitors can only enter the grounds through approved tours, as this remains an active security facility.
Between 1891 and 1963, this site saw 614 executions by electric chair, more than any other location in New York. The old execution chamber was later converted into a visiting room.
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