Brief History Of The Territorial Prison In Yuma Arizona

Standing on the hill overlooking the colorado river is the well known Territorial Prison, located in Yuma Arizona.The prison was built in yuma because there was no other prison to keep criminals behind bars also because other prisons were easy to escape from. In 1875 the prison was authorized by the legislature, its budget for the project was 25,000.The prison is now a historic park where people can visit and experience the prisoners life’s within the dark walls as they serve their time. The yuma territorial prison was the first state penitentiary in Arizona. In this research paper I will look into the territorial prison, also have vivid descriptions on its history and background from my primary sources. During the 33 years

The youngest prisoner was 14 years and and the oldest was 88. Maria moreno was the 16 year old girl who shot her brother, for complaining about the way she was dancing. Maria was in prison for 1 year. Angelita berdusco served 2 years for in the territorial prison for adultery. Angelita left her husband and ran away with 2 vandeville jugglers. Elena Estrada known as the heartbreaker was one of the most terrifying women prisoner, she was sentenced for seven years and charge for manslaughter. Elena stabbed her unfaithful husband, cut his chest open and pulled his heart out.The mexican revolutionary man, Ricardo Flores Magon discovered partido liberal mexicano to oppose dictator Porfirio Diaz. Ricardo was charge with violations with the neutrality act, he then died after being question at leavenworth penitentiary. The fast gun, Frank leslie also known as “buckskin” killed his girlfriend in a drunken rage and Billy clairborne from clanton gang. Frank leslie was an inmate who died in prison and was buried on the territory. Pearl hart, the Bandit queen robbed the Globe to florence stagecoach along with Joe Boot, she then became a media sensation around the country. Pearl was sentence in prison for 5 years, and her partner in crime, joe boot was sentenced for 33 years. Joe was one of the inmates who successfully escape he was then never heard from again. Pearl used her

Therefore convicts built a new prison in florence, arizona, the last prisoner left yuma on september 15 1909. Inmates had to build the new prison in florence arizona and replace the territorial prison, the new prison opened in 1908. While the prison wa under construction the prisoner lived in tent in the desert by where the construction took place.The new prison in flourence had a death chamber room. After the territorial prison was closed different groups used the prison. Then when yuma high school burned down the school board rented the building from 1910 to 1914, that is how yuma high school is known as the criminals. On 1924 most of the prison was destroyed from building the new railroad tracks. In 1942 guard tower were used for spotting in world war 2. The Veterans of Foreign Wars leased the guard’s quarters in 1931 and used it as their clubhouse until 1960. Hobos who ride the train used cells for shelter also during the great depression town people and families used the cells for shelter. Yuma is also well known for movie locations and many films were made in the prison. The first film was “Life in the western penitentiary in 1914, “The honor system” in 1917, “Brothers divided” in 1919, “The three musketeers” in 1933, “Red river valley” in 1936, “The badlanders” in 1958, “Riot” in 1969, one of the well known movies was “3:10 to Yuma” in 2007 and last