Anamosa State Penitentiary

Anamosa State Penitentiary is a maximum security prison in Anamosa, Iowa. The facility consists of high stone walls, towers with crenelations, and two carved stone lions flanking the entrance to the central administration building.

The Iowa General Assembly decided to build this prison in 1872 after the existing penitentiary in Fort Madison became insufficient. Inmates worked on the construction and used stone from nearby quarries to erect the walls.

The local quarry supplied material for the walls, and inmates carved each block by hand. The prison museum that developed here displays tools and objects from daily life at the facility, explaining how the work of guards changed over the decades.

The facility offers courses in welding, auto repair, and horticulture and enables inmates to earn high school diplomas and associate degrees. Visitors can tour the attached museum but should check ahead for opening hours and access rules.

The architecture follows the Scottish Baronial style and makes the building look more like a medieval castle than a prison. Standing before the lion figures, one might think they face a manor house instead of a correctional institution.

Location: Anamosa

Inception: 1875

Address: North High Street

GPS coordinates: 42.11100,-91.29100

Latest update: December 5, 2025 22:27