People entering the red-turreted building with barred windows pass by members of a chain gang dressed in striped shirts and trousers who are swinging long-handled sledgehammers. Once inside, the visitors go through a processing procedure to register them as new inmates at St. John’s Old County Jail in St. Augustine, Florida.
But rather than being incarcerated, these folks are checking out an historic prison that today serves as a museum. It’s one of dozens of former penitentiaries throughout the country that have been rehabilitated and repurposed to fill roles very different from their original function.
From museums to a housing development, a production soundstage to a brewery, buildings that once were home to people convicted of a crime now welcome the public and combine an introduction to their storied past with a variety of new functions. These facilities are located around the country, and one or more may be close to where you live or plan to travel….