New Jersey History and Sites

The Historic Burlington County Prison was designed Robert Mills, who was one of America’s first native-born and trained architects. The Prison was completed in 1811.  

During the nineteenth-century, penal reform became a big social justice issue. As a result of the times, the prison was built with the idea that a prison’s design could contribute to rehabilitating a criminal and change their course of life.  In his design of the prison, Mills argued and created a plan for free circulation of air, spacious cells, a fire in the cell for warmth, and a bath at least once a week. To further improve criminal’s souls, each prisoner who passed through the Burlington County Prison was supplied with a Bible or prayer book to instill religious and wholesome values in them. Many of Mill’s ideas and designs made prison life comfortable for those incarcerated with the hopes of setting criminals on the right path in life.

The floorplan of the prison was also thought about in detail. The building was designed with interior vaulted ceilings constructed with concrete and brick, as well as stone throughout the building, making it virtually fireproof. In addition, the prison was divided into several blocks of cells to keep habitual criminals, first offenders, and women in separate areas. For unruly prisoners, the prison was designed with a maximum-security cell, also known as the dungeon. The dungeon was actually on the top floor and had a permanent iron ring to chain down prisoners. The dungeon was located on the top floor to prevent escape by digging and prevent communicated with other prisoners in the cell blocks. The prison was designed to hold approximately 40 prisoners at a time. However, the Burlington County Prison was not exempt from overcrowding condition. At one point, the Prison held over 100 inmates. The overcrowded conditions were a driving reason for the county to establish a new prison.

The prison closed in 1965. At the time of closure, it was the longest operation prison in the United States. In 1966, shortly after the prison was decommissioned, the building was reopened as a museum for the public. Many of the original elements of the prison remain today. The massive front door, hinges, and lock are all original to the outside of the building. Visitors can see the cells where prisoners lived, a workshop where some prisoners learned skills, such as basketing making, and the prison yard where some criminals were hung.

As visitors walk through the building, many people who believe in the paranormal believe that ghosts and spirits of prisoners still haunt the prison to this day. On March 12, 2008, aired on episode of Ghost Hunters featuring the Prison. The investigation and hunt for ghosts was conducted by The Atlantic Paranormal Society, TAPS, a well-known paranormal research group. One of the most notorious ghosts in the prison is Joel Clough, who spent him at the prison for murdering his girlfriend before he was hung in 1832. Some people still believe he haunts the Prison to this day. Whether you believe in ghost and paranormal activity or not, the Historic Burlington County Prison is worth a visit to understand nineteenth prison life, and how prison life has developed over the next two centuries.

Resources

Bastien, Jan Lynn. Ghosts of Burlington County: Historical Hauntings from The Mullica to the Delaware. Charleston, SC: Haunted America, 2014. https://www.google.com/books/edition/Ghosts_of_Burlington_County/BUaACQAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=0&bsq=burlington%20county%20prison%20museum

“Burlington County Prison.” New Jersey Historic Trust: Affiliated with the Department of Community Affairs. Accessed December 23, 2033. https://www.nj.gov/dca/njht/funded/sitedetails/BurlingtonCountyPrison.shtml

Chaneles, Sol, editor. Prisons and Prisoners: Historical Documents. New York: The Haworth Press, 1985. https://www.google.com/books/edition/Prisons_and_Prisoners/1czXyLrvJnkC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=Burlington+County+Historic+Prison&pg=PA37&printsec=frontcover

“Prison Museum.” Burlington County. Accessed December 23, 2023. https://www.co.burlington.nj.us/956/Prison-Museum

Scheller, Kay and Bill Scheller. Discover Your Fun New Jersey Off the Beach. Essex, CT: Globe Pequot, 2023.

“The History.” Burlington County Prison Brochure. Mount Holly, NJ, Prison Museum Association. Accessed December 23, 2023. https://www.co.burlington.nj.us/DocumentCenter/View/1307/Brochure?bidId=

Winzinger, Heidi J and Mary L. Smith. Images of America: Mount Holly. Charleston, SC: Arcadia, 2001. https://www.google.com/books/edition/Mount_Holly/IBOG2hBHJFsC?hl=en&gbpv=0