Prison Postcards collection
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Special Collections and Archives
Prison Postcards collection
The Special Collections & Archives reading room is closed, and all in-person (physical, face-to-face) services are suspended at this time. We are here to help! Please contact us to discuss how we can best serve you during this time.
Special Collections and Archives
Prison Postcards collection
Prison Postcards collection
Finding Aid
Prepared by Dyani Scheuerman, April 14, 2003; Revised September 2005; Last Updated: July 2020
Origination: Borowitz, Albert, 1930- , and Borowitz, Helen Osterman, 1929 -
Inclusive Dates: 1900-1980s
Extent: .33 cubic feet (1 postcard box)
Physical Location: 11th floor
Scope and Content: This collection consists of postcards from prisons around the world. Most of the postcards are printed in color and are undated.
Arrangement: Cards are arranged alphabetically by state, and then country.
Acquisition Information: This material was donated to Kent State University by Albert and Helen Borowitz.
Related Material: See also the Crime-related Postcards collection.
Box 1
Folder -- contents
- Alabama: Kilby Prison, Montgomery, undated
- Alabama: Kilby Prison, Montgomery, undated
- Arizona: Old Territorial Prison, Yuma
- California: Alcatraz, San Francisco Bay, 1936
- California: Alcatraz, San Francisco Bay, 1988
- California: Folsom State Prison, Folsom, undated
- California: State Prison, San Quentin, undated
- California: State Prison, San Quentin, undated
- California: State Prison, San Quentin, undated
- Colorado: Huerfano County Court House and Jail, Walsenburg, undated
- Colorado: State Penitentiary, Canon City, 1929
- Colorado: State Penitentiary, Canon City, 1950s
- Connecticut: Newgate Prison, East Granby, undated
- Connecticut: Newgate Prison, East Granby, undated
- Connecticut: State Prison, Wetherfield, 1906
- Delaware: Kent County Jail, Dover, undated
- Florida: Old Jail, St. Augustine, undated
- Georgia: Federal Prison, Atlanta, 1935
- Georgia: Federal Prison, Atlanta, undated
- Idaho: State Penitentiary, Boise, undated
- Illinois: Joliet State Penitentiary, Stateville, 1905
- Illinois: Joliet State Penitentiary, Stateville, 1952
Scope and Contents: Contains two copies. - Illinois: Joliet State Penitentiary, Stateville, undated
- Illinois: Joliet State Penitentiary, Stateville, undated
- Illinois: Old Jail, Carthage, undated
- Illinois: Old Jail, Carthage, undated
- Illinois: State Reformatory, Pontiac, 1908
- Illinois: Williamson County Jail, Marion, undated
- Indiana: Brown County Log Jail, Nashville, 1930
- Indiana: County Jail, Marion, 1909
- Indiana: Howard County Jail, Kokomo, undated
- Indiana: Indiana Prison, Michigan City, 1911
- Indiana: Indiana Reformatory, Jeffersonville, undated
- Indiana: La Porte County Jail, La Porte, undated
- Indiana: Marshall County Jail and Court House, Plymouth, undated
- Indiana: Sheriff's Residence and County Jail, Columbia City, 1950
- Indiana: United States Penitentiary, Terre Haute, undated
- Iowa: County Jail, Muscatine, undated
- Iowa: Lee County Court House, Jail, and Sheriff's Resience, Fort Madison, 1906
- Iowa: State Penitentiary, Fort Madison, 1905
- Iowa: State Penitentiary Exterior, Fort Madison, undated
Acquisition Note: Donated by Mary Widmer, 2005 - Iowa: State Penitentiary Interior, Fort Madison, undated
- Kansas: Federal Prison, Leavenworth, 1912
- Kansas: Federal Prison, Leavenworth, 1916
- Kansas: State Prison, Lansing, 1909
- Kansas: State Prison, Lansing, 1912
- Kansas: State Prison, Lansing, undated
- Kansas: State Prison, Lansing, undated
- Kansas: State Reformatory, Hutchinson, undated
- Kentucky: City Work Home, Louisville
- Kentucky: Federal Correctional Institute, Ashland
- Kentucky: State Prison, Frankfort
- Louisiana: Cabildo, New Orleans
- Maine: Knox County Court House and Jail, Rockland
- Maine: Old Jail, York
- Maine: Penobscot County Court House and Jail, Bangor
- Maine: State Prison, Thomaston
- Maryland: City Jail, Baltimore
- Massachusetts: Berkshire County Jail, Pittsfield
- Massachusetts: Berkshire County Jail, Pittsfield
- Massachusetts: County Jail, Fitchburg
- Massachusetts: House of Correction, New Bedford
- Massachusetts: Lawrence Jail, Lawrence
- Massachusetts: Lowell Jail, Lowell
- Massachusetts: Police Headquarters, Charles River
- Massachusetts: Town Hall, Boston
- Michigan: County Jail and Sheriff's Residence, Jackson
- Michigan: Court House and Jail, Hastings
- Michigan: Court House and Jail, Traverse City
- Michigan: Jackson County Jail, Jackson
- Michigan: Jail, Big Rapids
- Michigan: Marquette Prison, Marquette
- Michigan: State Prison, Jackson
- Michigan: State Prison, Jackson
- Michigan: State Prison, Jackson
- Michigan: State Prison, Jackson
- Michigan: State Reformatory, Ionia
- Michigan: State Reformatory, Ionia
- Minnesota: St. Cloud State Reformatory, St. Cloud
- Minnesota: State Prison, Stillwater
- Minnesota: State Prison, Stillwater
- Minnesota: State Prison, Stillwater
- Minnesota: State Prison, Stillwater
- Minnesota: State Prison, Stillwater
- Missouri: Old Jail, St. Louis
- Missouri: State Penitentiary, Jefferson City
- Montanta: Montana State Prison, Deer Lodge
- Nebraska: State Penitentiary, Lincoln
- Nevada: State Prison, Carson City
Scope and Content: This is a panoramic view of the exterior of the prison on a double postcard. - New Hampshire: Jail, Keene
- New Hampshire: Piscataque River and Naval Prison, Portsmouth
- New Hampshire: State Prison, Concord
- New Jersey: Burlington County Prison, Mount Holly
- New Jersey: State Prison, Rahway
- New Jersey: State Prison, Trenton
- New Mexico: Territory Penitentiary, Santa Fe
- New York: Auburn State Prison, Auburn
- New York: Auburn State Prison, Auburn
- New York: Auburn State Prison, Auburn
- New York: Auburn State Prison, Auburn
- New York: Auburn State Prison, Auburn
- New York: Auburn State Prison, Auburn
- New York: Auburn State Prison, Auburn
- New York: Auburn State Prison, Auburn
- New York: Auburn State Prison, Auburn
- New York: Auburn State Prison, Auburn
- New York: "Waiting," Auburn State Prison
- New York: Buffalo Jail, Buffalo
- New York: Cattaraugus County Jail and Sheriff's Residence, Little Valley
- New York: City Prison (the Tombs), New York City
- New York: Clinton Prison, Dannemora
- New York: Clinton Prison, Dannemora
- New York: Fulton County Jail, Johnston
- New York: Herkimer County Jail, Herkimer
- New York: Niagara County Jail, Lockport
- New York: Onondaga County Penitentiary, Syracuse
- New York: Ontario County Jail, Canandaigua
- New York: Rebel Prison, Elmira
- New York: Sheriff's Residence and Jail, Mayville
- New York: Sing Sing Prison, Ossining
- New York: Sing Sing Prison, Ossining
- New York: Sing Sing Prison, Ossining
- New York: Sing Sing Prison, Ossining
- New York: Electric Chair, Sing Sing
- New York: State Reformatory, Elmira
- New York: State Reformatory, Elmira
- New York: State Reformatory, Napanoch
- North Carolina: State Penitentiary, Raleigh
- North Dakota: State Penitentiary, Bismarck
- North Dakota: State Reform School, Mandan
- Ohio: Ashtabula County Jail and Sheriff's Residence, Jefferson
- Ohio: Belmont County Jail, St. Clairsville
- Ohio: City Hall and Jail, Lorain
- Ohio: County Jail, Akron
- Ohio: County Jail, Toledo
- Ohio: County Jail, West Union
- Ohio: Court House and County Jail, Dayton
- Ohio: Court House and Jail, Ravenna
- Ohio: Hardin County Jail, Kenton
- Ohio: Jail, Newark
- Ohio: Lorain County Jail, Elyria
- Ohio: Mercer County Jail, Celina
- Ohio: Police Station, Akron
- Ohio: Reformatory for Women, Marysville
- Ohio: Reformatory for Women, Marysville
- Ohio: Reformatory for Women, Marysville
- Ohio: Reformatory for Women, Marysville
- Ohio: Sandusky County Jail, Fremont
- Ohio: Stark County Work House, Canton
- Ohio: Stark County Work House, Canton
- Ohio: State Penitentiary, Columbus
- Ohio: State Penitentiary, Columbus
- Ohio: State Penitentiary, Columbus
- Ohio: State Penitentiary, Columbus
- Ohio: State Penitentiary, Columbus
- Ohio: State Penitentiary, Columbus
- Ohio: State Penitentiary, Columbus
- Ohio: State Penitentiary, Columbus
- Ohio: State Penitentiary, Columbus
- Ohio: State Penitentiary, Columbus
- Ohio: State Penitentiary, Columbus
- Ohio: State Reformatory, Mansfield
- Ohio: State Reformatory, Mansfield
- Ohio: State Reformatory, Mansfield
- Ohio: State Reformatory, Mansfield
- Ohio: State Reformatory, Mansfield
- Ohio: State Reformatory, Mansfield
- Ohio: Warrensville Farm Interior Court, Cleveland
- Ohio: Wood County Jail, Bowling Green
- Ohio: Wyandot County Jail, Upper Sandusky
- Oklahoma: County Court House and Jail, Oklahoma City
- Oklahoma: Court House and Jail, Ardmore
- Oklahoma: State Penitentiary, McAlester
- Oregon: State Penitentiary, Salem
- Pennsylvania: Allegheny County Jail and Court House, Pittsburgh
- Pennsylvania: Bedford County Jail, Bedford
- Pennsylvania: Berks County Jail, Reading
- Pennsylvania: Berks County Prison, Reading
- Pennsylvania: Berks County Prison, Reading
- Pennsylvania: Blair County Jail, Hollidaysburg
- Pennsylvania: Cambria County Jail, Ebensburg
- Pennsylvania: Carlisle Jail, Carlisle
- Pennsylvania: Clearfield County Jail, Clearfield
- Pennsylvania: County Jail, Towanda
- Pennsylvania: Delaware County Jail, Media
- Pennsylvania: Fayette County Jail, Uniontown
- Pennsylvania: Huntington County Jail, Huntington
- Pennsylvania: Jail, Norristown
- Pennsylvania: Lackawanna County Jail, Scranton
- Pennsylvania: Lancaster County Prison, Lancaster
- Pennsylvania: Lehigh County Jail, Allentown
- Pennsylvania: Luzerne County Prison, Wilkes Barre
- Pennsylvania: Northumberland County Jail, Sunbury
- Pennsylvania: Rockview Penitentiary, Rockview
- Pennsylvania: Susquehanna County Jail, Montrose
- Rhode Island: State Prison and County Jail, Howard
- South Carolina: Jail, Chesterfield
- South Dakota: State Penitentiary, Sioux Falls
- South Dakota: State Penitentiary, Sioux Falls
- Tennessee: State Penitentiary, Nashville
- Texas: Court House and Jail, Waco
- Texas: Federal Prison, La Tuna
- Texas: Federal Prison, La Tuna
- Texas: State Prison, Huntsville
- Utah: State Prison, Salt Lake City
- Utah: State Prison, Salt Lake City
- Vermont: New Caledonia County Jail, St. Johnsbury
- Vermont: State Prison, Windsor
- Virginia: Jail, Princess Anne County
- Virginia: Libby Prison, Richmond
- Virginia: Libby Prison, Richmond
- Virginia: Libby Prison, Richmond
- Virginia: Libby Prison, Richmond
- Virginia: Libby Prison, Richmond
- Virginia: Libby Prison, Richmond
- Virginia: Libby Prison, Richmond
- Virginia: Libby Prison, Richmond
- Virginia: Marine Corps Prison, Quantico
- Virginia: Old Debtor's Prison, Gloucester
- Virginia: Public Gaol, Williamsburg
- Virginia: Public Gaol, Williamsburg
- Virginia: State Penitentiary, Richmond
- Washington: State Penitentiary, Walla Walla
- West Virginia: Jail, Charleston
- West Virginia: Jail, Charleston
- West Virginia: State Penitentiary, Moundsville
- West Virginia: State Penitentiary, Moundsville
- West Virginia: State Penitentiary, Moundsville
- Wisconsin: Armory, Police Station, and County Jail, Milwaukee
- Wisconsin: State Prison, Waupun
- Wisconsin: State Prison, Waupun
- Wisconsin: State Prison, Waupun
- Wisconsin: State Reformatory, Green Bay
- Wyoming: State Penitentiary, Rawlins
- Canada: Dominion Penitentiary, Kingston, Ontario
- China: Death cages
- France: Tour des Prisonniers, Autun
- France: "Le Masque de Fer"
- Germany: Carcer, Heidelberg
- Iran: Ispahan, prison of Shah Abbasse, Teheran
- Mexico: Jail, Ciudad Juarez
- Mexico: Jail, Ciudad Juarez
- Mexico: San Juan de Ulua, Veracruz
- United Kingdom: Convict ship Success
- United Kingdom: Dartmoor Prison, Princetown, Devonshire
- United Kingdom: Dartmoor Prison, Princetown, Devonshire
- United Kingdom: Dartmoor Prison, Princetown, Devonshire
- United Kingdom: door, Newgate Prison, London
- United Kingdom: Old House of Confinement, Alfreton, Derbyshire
- United Kingdom: Old Prison, Bodmin, Wales
- United Kingdom: Old Prison, Bodmin, Wales
- United Kingdom: Old Village Lock-up, Shrewton
- United Kingdom: Prison, Portland
- United Kingdom: Prison, Wakefield