Kentucky State Penitentiary (Frankfort, Ky.)

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Legislation establishing a penal system in Kentucky was passed in 1798, and by 1800, the first prison west of the Allegheny Mountains, the Kentucky State Penitentiary, was completed on a one-acre tract of land in Frankfort. As early 1825, the penitentiary and the labor of its inmates were leased to private individuals in return for a percentage of the profits from prison labor, a practice that was not abolished until 1880. Convict labor, however, continued to be contracted out until the 1920s.

The for-profit nature of the prison system in Kentucky, along with substantial overcrowding, led numerous administrations during the nineteenth century to seek additional sources of funding, but progress in this area was low. The General Assembly appropriated money in 1872 for construction of a separate unit for women prisoners, and in 1884, a secord prison was added to the system when the Kentucky Branch Penitentiary was erected in Eddyville. In 1895, over 400 cells were added to the prison at Frankfort.

The Frankfort prison was officially renamed Kentucky State Reformatory in 1912, and the Eddyville penitentiary was officially renamed Kentucky State Penitentiary. Deteriorating conditions at the reformatory were such that by 1936, the State Planning Board recommended that it be abandoned. Before further action could be taken, however, the institution was destroyed by the 1937 flood. Inmates were temporarily quartered in camps on the grounds of the Feeble-Minded Institute in Frankfort, as well as in jails and workhouses throughout central Kentucky. After a brief period, male inmates were removed to Oldham County where they began construction of the new Kentucky State Reformatory at La Grange, which opened in 1939. Female inmates were moved to the Women's Division of the Kentucky State Reformatory in Pewee Valley, in 1938.

From the description of Subunit history. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 145414398
Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
creatorOf Kentucky State Penitentiary (Frankfort, Ky.). Unclaimed balances ledger, 1898-1901. Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives, Kentucky State Archives
creatorOf Kentucky State Penitentiary (Frankfort, Ky.). Hospital register 1888-1921 (bulk 1888-1889, 1909-1921). Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives, Kentucky State Archives
creatorOf Kentucky State Penitentiary (Frankfort, Ky.). Cash received for prisoners books, 1895-1901. Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives, Kentucky State Archives
referencedIn Kentucky. Governor (1824-1828 : Desha). Governor's correspondence, 1824-1828. Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives, Kentucky State Archives
creatorOf Kentucky State Penitentiary (Frankfort, Ky.). Prisoner court record books (indexed), 1896-1919 (bulk 1918-1919). Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives, Kentucky State Archives
creatorOf Kentucky State Penitentiary (Frankfort, Ky.). Visitor's register 1892-1896. Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives, Kentucky State Archives
creatorOf Kentucky State Penitentiary (Frankfort, Ky.). Subunit history. Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives, Kentucky State Archives
creatorOf Kentucky State Penitentiary (Frankfort, Ky.). Punishment record books, 1880-1921. Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives, Kentucky State Archives
creatorOf Kentucky State Penitentiary (Frankfort, Ky.). Index to court records, 1918-1919. Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives, Kentucky State Archives
referencedIn Kentucky. Governor (1844-1848 : Owsley). Governor's correspondence, 1844-1848. Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives, Kentucky State Archives
referencedIn Kentucky. Governor (1855-1859 : Morehead). Enrolled bills, 1856-1858. Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives, Kentucky State Archives
creatorOf Kentucky State Penitentiary (Frankfort, Ky.). Crime register, 1891-1926 (bulk 1891-1901, 1921-1926). Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives, Kentucky State Archives
referencedIn Kentucky. Governor (1859-1862 : Magoffin). Messages to the General Assembly, 1859, 1861. Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives, Kentucky State Archives
creatorOf Kentucky State Penitentiary (Frankfort, Ky.). Time lost during the month books, 1912-1923. Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives, Kentucky State Archives
referencedIn Steamboat bills of lading, 1824-1847 (bulk 1847). Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives, Kentucky Guide Project Office
creatorOf Kentucky State Penitentiary (Frankfort, Ky.). Inventory of tools, fixtures, and property, 1898. Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives, Kentucky State Archives
creatorOf Kentucky State Penitentiary (Frankfort, Ky.). Cell house register, 1907-1909. Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives, Kentucky State Archives
creatorOf Kentucky State Penitentiary (Frankfort, Ky.). Inmate earnings books, 1913-1933 (bulk 1913-1914, 1921-1924, 1929-1933). Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives, Kentucky State Archives
referencedIn Kentucky. Governor (1839-1840 : Wickliffe). Letter book, 1839-1840. Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives, Kentucky State Archives
creatorOf Kentucky State Penitentiary (Frankfort, Ky.). Prisoner's account books, 1910-1913. Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives, Kentucky State Archives
creatorOf Kentucky State Penitentiary (Frankfort, Ky.). Clothing issued books, 1924-1934. Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives, Kentucky State Archives
creatorOf Kentucky State Penitentiary (Frankfort, Ky.). Register of prisoners, 1848-1938. Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives, Kentucky State Archives
creatorOf Kentucky State Penitentiary (Frankfort, Ky.). Prisoner description books, 1887-1909. Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives, Kentucky State Archives
creatorOf Kentucky State Penitentiary (Frankfort, Ky.). Record of provisions for prisoners, 1896. Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives, Kentucky State Archives
referencedIn Kentucky. Governor (1895-1899 : Bradley). Special studies and reports to the governor, 1895-1899. Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives, Kentucky State Archives
creatorOf Kentucky State Penitentiary (Frankfort, Ky.). Register of prisoners by county, 1894-1950. Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives, Kentucky State Archives
referencedIn Kentucky. Governor (1862-1863 : Robinson). Special studies and reports to the governor, 1862-1863. Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives, Kentucky State Archives
referencedIn Kentucky. Governor (1851-1855 : Powell). Special studies and reports to the governor, 1851-1854. Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives, Kentucky State Archives
referencedIn Kentucky. Governor (1820-1824 : Adair). Messages to the General Assembly, 1823-1824. Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives, Kentucky State Archives
referencedIn Kentucky. Governor (1804-1808 : Greenup). Enrolled bills, 1804-1806. Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives, Kentucky State Archives
referencedIn Kentucky. Governor (1850-1851 : Helm). Appprehension of fugitives from justice papers, 1850-1851. Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives, Kentucky State Archives
creatorOf Kentucky State Penitentiary (Frankfort, Ky.). Penitentiary account ledger, 1907. Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives, Kentucky State Archives
referencedIn Kentucky. Governor (1863-1867 : Bramlette). Special studies and reports to the governor, 1864, 1867. Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives, Kentucky State Archives
creatorOf Kentucky State Penitentiary (Frankfort, Ky.). Daily report books, 1883-1936 (bulk 1883-1888, 1919-1936). Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives, Kentucky State Archives
referencedIn Kentucky. Governor (1840-1844 : Letcher). Special studies and reports to the governor, 1841-1844. Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives, Kentucky State Archives
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associatedWith Kentucky. Governor (1863-1867 : Bramlette) corporateBody
associatedWith Kentucky. Governor (1895-1899 : Bradley) corporateBody
associatedWith Kentucky State Penitentiary (Frankfort, Ky.). Prisoner's Fund. corporateBody
associatedWith Kentucky State Reformatory (Frankfort, Ky.) corporateBody
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associatedWith Kentucky State Reformatory (Frankfort, Ky.) corporateBody
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