Columbia Correctional Institution, Maximum security state prison in Portage, Wisconsin, United States.
Columbia Correctional Institution is a maximum security prison in Portage, Wisconsin. The compound holds ten housing units with 50 cells each, alongside a separate wing with 150 beds for lower security classification.
The correctional center opened in May 1986 on roughly 110 acres of land at a cost of about 38.6 million dollars. Its original capacity was set at 450 inmates, though the numbers have grown over the decades.
The name comes from the county where the complex sits, and the layout follows a rectangular grid of separate buildings behind perimeter fencing. The outer walls stand high against the surrounding fields, while the interior divides into administrative wings and housing blocks arranged for controlled movement.
Visitors must submit an application and wait for approval before attending during the daily visiting hours. Schedules differ on weekdays and weekends, so checking the exact guidelines beforehand is helpful.
A sculpture titled Chromatic Fragments-Vortex to the Sky stands on the grounds, created in 1988 by artist Christiane Martens at about 20 feet tall. The piece is among the few public art installations found within state correctional facilities.
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