Old Idaho Penitentiary (Gun Towers),
Idaho State Historical Society
Boise, Ada County
- Grant: 1994
Location: 2445 Old Penitentiary Road, Boise, Idaho 83712
The Old Penitentiary is a 500-acre complex with over 40 historic structures. It is a recognized historic district and is in the National Register of Historic Places. The prison functioned as the Idaho Territorial Prison from its founding in 1870 and then as the State penitentiary until its closure in 1973. Over 13,000 prisoners served sentences at the prison during its 103 years of operation. The towers are an imposing feature of the prison. They stand 30 feet tall and are painted in the old green license plate paint used in the prison’s license plate factory. The towers were used from the early 1950s to 1970.
