Siberia and the Gallows Room Our creepiness rating 💀💀💀💀💀
The Historical Society says there is "no conclusive evidence" of ghosts, but visitors report voices, being touched, and a "heaviness," especially in the Siberia solitary cells and the Gallows Room. Ghost Adventures and other shows have filmed here. Source: Idaho State Historical Society.
Facts below are drawn from the linked sources.
Real history
Construction began on July 4, 1870, and the prison held inmates from 1872 until December 1973. Inmates helped build almost every building, using sandstone they quarried from the nearby foothills (Idaho State Historical Society). A 17-foot sandstone wall eventually surrounded the complex (Wikipedia).
More than 13,000 people were held here over 101 years, including 216 women. Riots over living conditions broke out in 1952, 1971 and 1973 (Wikipedia). The Historical Society records about 129 deaths, including ten executions, the last being Raymond Snowden in the Gallows Room in 1957, plus over 500 escape attempts, at least 90 of them successful (Idaho State Historical Society).
Well-known inmates included Harry Orchard, who killed former Governor Frank Steunenberg in 1905, and Lyda Southard, known as "Idaho's Lady Bluebeard" (Wikipedia). The prison closed because it was outdated and overcrowded (Idaho State Historical Society).
Ghost stories
These are reported legends, not verified events. The creepiness score (1–5) is Spook Atlas's own editorial rating, not a measurement.
The gate that closed itself Our creepiness rating 💀💀💀💀💀
A reporter on a 2022 paranormal tour described a light going out and a gate found closed after the group had opened it. The tour group's director said 95% of cases have a logical explanation. Source: Boise State Public Radio.
A reporter on a 2022 paranormal tour described a light going out and a gate found closed after the group had opened it. The tour group's director said 95% of cases have a logical explanation. Source: Boise State Public Radio.
Then and now
Public access
Open to the public The Old Idaho Penitentiary is a state historic site run by the Idaho State Historical Society, with paid admission. Winter hours are daily 12–5 pm; regular visiting is closed Oct 29–31 for its Fright Nights event, per its page. Last checked: Oct 31, 2026.
Explore more
- More places in Boise and Idaho
- More haunted & abandoned prisons
- Nearby: Idanha Hotel (Boise, ID), Silver City (Owyhee County, ID), De Lamar (De Lamar, ID), Lime (cement plant ruins) (Lime, OR)
⚠️ Please read: This information may be outdated and conditions change. Verify access with the owner or operator before you go. Spook Atlas does not encourage trespassing. Entering private, closed or condemned property can be illegal and dangerous. Report a correction.
Reader experiences
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