Yuma Territorial Prison In Arizona Is One Of The Nation’s Most Haunted Places
By Katie Lawrence|Published August 30, 2019
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Katie Lawrence
Author
Katie Lawrence is a Southeast Texas native who graduated 18th in her high school class with a GPA of 4.25. She attended college in the Houston area and began writing for OnlyInYourState in 2015.
Today, Katie writes, edits, and performs several other tasks for OnlyInYourState and has never been more passionate about a job before. Outside of work, you can likely find her curled up on with a hot cup of coffee, practicing yoga, baking, or exploring the beautiful Lone Star State (in particular, the vast and mystical West Texas desert).
Arizona is chock full of abandoned and haunted places, but this one just might be the most horrific. Yuma Territorial Prison has a gruesome past, and many of its former inmates have decided to stick around long after not only their sentences but also their lives have ended.
Built in 1875 by the prisoners themselves, this notorious penitentiary officially opened a year later.
Starting off with just seven inmates, the jail housed a total of 3,069 criminals throughout its 33 operating years.
Walk through an original cell block that housed prisoners until 1909 and experience what it would've felt like to be incarcerated within these harsh, unforgiving walls.
Amid the disquiet, however, the soft strum of a guitar can be heard drifting through the air. You see, there was a prison band back in the day at Yuma Territorial, and many of its members still aren't ready to stop playing.
This pit of despair was reserved for the most incorrigible inmates, trapping them in darkness with snakes and scorpions. Most visitors who enter last just minutes before making a hasty departure... are you brave enough to break the record?
Also on the grounds is a cemetery where many of the 112 inmates who died while serving time are buried.
Have you ever toured Yuma Territorial Prison? If so, did you experience any phenomena with no logical explanation? Let us know about any spooky occurrences, and check out our previous article for more haunted places to explore: This Haunted Road Trip Will Lead You To The Scariest Places In Arizona.
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