Past and Present: Raymond Street Jail
A Look at Brooklyn, then and now. No prison is an enjoyable experience, but the Brooklyn City Prison, known by everyone as the Raymond Street Jail, was particularly awful. The cornerstone was laid, (by prisoners) in 1836, and it underwent several expansions and renovations, so that by 1879, the prison resembled the West Point fortress…
A Look at Brooklyn, then and now.
No prison is an enjoyable experience, but the Brooklyn City Prison, known by everyone as the Raymond Street Jail, was particularly awful. The cornerstone was laid, (by prisoners) in 1836, and it underwent several expansions and renovations, so that by 1879, the prison resembled the West Point fortress it was modeled after. The main building held men, and a separate annex held women prisoners. The women’s building was torn down and rebuilt in 1911. The prison sat on Raymond and Willoughby Streets, at the edge of Fort Greene Park. From day one, it was horribly laid out, and overcrowded. To show how badly designed it was, during that last remake, they forgot to put a front door in the building, the opening had to be cut into the wall. They really didn’t want anyone to get out. The prison was positively medieval, with no light, tiny cells, unsanitary conditions and overcrowding, and after many years of trying to get it closed, the city finally closed the Raymond St. jail forever in 1963, and built the present day House of Detention on Atlantic Avenue. Brooklyn Hospital, which has long been a neighbor of the jail, expanded its facilities north, and built the 19 story Maynard Building in 1976, on the site of the jail. Even the name of Raymond St. was obliterated, it was changed to Ashland Place.
(Photo:afflictor.com)
(Photo:skylinerestorations.com)
Unconstitutional mistreatment of (mostly) mentally ill inmates has last forever in this country (witness CALI prisons now) very much a crime to house the mentally ill this way sad history
an uncle of mine who is no longer alive actually enjoyed his times in prison (and no, not in THAT way)
*rob*
Jails shouldnt be horrible because most people housed there are innocent (under the law) awaiting trial or at worst serving time for misdemeanors.
Prisons are where violent criminals are housed after conviction.
Interesting read MM – thanks
Jails are horrible because they take away your freedom. No need to add any horror as described above. That just makes it harder on all other parties as well… guards and other staff. But that front door story is very funny.
To show how badly designed it was, during that last remake, they forgot to put a front door in the building, the opening had to be cut into the wall. They really didn’t want anyone to get out.
Hilarious, though frankly jails should be horrible places.