Inspired Locations – Eastern State

I love visiting creepy places, haunted places, old buildings, anything of the sort. When my family vacationed in Pennsylvania I had to make a stop at Eastern State Penitentiary. While we weren't able to get a night time ghost tour the regular tour still ticked all the boxes for me. The self guided audio let you feel alone in the decaying halls even as other visitors milled about.

There were cells that you could step into, and feel the isolation. Although as an introvert, I kind of liked it in a strange way. I wouldn't want to be forced in there, but the quiet was appealing. The history of the place was obviously dark, but the original intent, a search for penitence of those incarcerated intrigued me.

At first it wasn't crowded, prisoners were kept anonymous so that when released there was no stigma round them. It wasn't a terrible system; until they lost that ideal and turned the place into an overcrowded dungeon where multiple prisoners were crammed into cells made for one.

In the end the visit inspired my short story Penance; it can be found here.

What kind of places inspire you? Stick around for more posts of my inspired locations.