Allegheny County PA Archives- Photos: Western Penitentiary, Allegheny City, Allegheny County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Ellis Michaels , July 2011 Copyright 2010. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/allegheny/ ________________________________________________ http://files.usgwarchives.net/pa/allegheny/photos/westernpenitentiary-pittsburgh.txt Photo may be viewed at: http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/allegheny/photos/westernpenitentiary-pittsburgh.jpg Taken from Historical Collections of the State of Pennsylvania by Sherman Day Published by George W. Gorton, Philadelphia 1843 woodcut Western Penitentiary, Allegheny city Western Penitentiary. The Western Penitentiary is an immense castle, built in the ancient Norman style, situated on the plain behind Seminary hill, and on the western border of Allegheny city. It was completed in 1827, at a cost of $183,092, including its equipments. Notwithstanding some glaring defects in its original construction and arrangement, it has now become an efficient institution. It is conducted on the " Pennsylvania system" of solitary confinement and labor. Weaving, shoe-making, and oakum-picking, are the employments of the prisoners. About 800 prisoners had been received, in 1842, since the commencement of the institution.