Chester county library is close to our home. When we moved from New Jersey to Pennsylvania the first and the most things we did was Sidhu’s school enrollment, finding a primary doctor for him, and getting a membership in the library. At Marlton, I gained confidence in driving through my commute to the library. There was a park too, close to the library. Libraries have books, games, and activities for every age group. It is a great place for parents to come with kids and get engaged in different age-appropriate activities.
I used to take Sidhu and Esha to various classes at the library. They both had a nice time with the activities. Sometimes I used to attend some classes at the library. They have tutoring classes for adults and kids and various activities for kids in the summer. Adults can participate in book reading clubs, and the technology department where basic they teach basic tech classes. have classes on various subjects. Experienced veterans give classes on various subjects and help out people for tax filing. I need to explore lot many things in the library. Recently Sidhu started volunteering at the library.
Museum passes are available at the library. we need to register first and choose a date. Get the passes online or at the library. Present these passes at the selected places and enjoy the amenities. These passes are free. This summer we thought we will get passes from the library. The first place we visited was the Penitentiary, the prison.
The Eastern State Penitentiary is a historic former prison located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. It operated as a functioning prison from 1829 to 1971 and is now a National Historic Landmark that serves as a museum and historic site. The penitentiary’s design featured a unique radial layout with cell blocks radiating from a central surveillance hub, allowing a small number of guards to monitor the entire facility.
The radial layout of the Eastern State Penitentiary was a key feature of its architectural design. The prison was constructed in the early 19th century based on the principles of the Pennsylvania System.
Here are some details about the radial layout of Eastern State Penitentiary:(courtesy: chatGPT, I didn’t change even a word in the explanation given below, Is it plagiarism? I wanted readers to get a picture in their mind when I say radial Layout.)
- Hub-and-Spoke Design: The penitentiary’s main building was designed in a radial or hub-and-spoke layout. The central surveillance hub, known as the “Rotunda,” served as a central point from which prison guards could observe the corridors leading to the cell blocks.
- Cell Blocks: From the central hub, seven cell blocks radiated outwards like spokes on a wheel. Each cell block contained several levels of cells arranged in tiers. The radial design allowed a small number of guards stationed in the Rotunda to have visibility over multiple cell blocks.
- Individual Cell Design: The cells were designed to maximize isolation and minimize interaction between inmates. Each cell was a self-contained unit, typically measuring about 8 feet by 12 feet. It had thick walls and a small exercise yard attached to it. The cells had a single skylight, known as the “Eye of God,” which allowed a limited amount of natural light to enter.
- Central Surveillance: The central hub provided a vantage point for guards to observe the corridors and ensure security. This design aimed to create a constant sense of surveillance and control over the inmates, discouraging any communication or interaction between them.
- Limited Human Contact: The radial layout, combined with the system of solitary confinement, aimed to enforce strict isolation. Inmates were expected to spend most of their time in their cells, with minimal human contact. The goal was to encourage reflection, penitence, and moral transformation.
Even if the radial layout was intended to impose a sense of order and control over the prison population, the system’s harsh conditions and prolonged solitary confinement eventually led to criticism and changes in penal philosophy.
We went there without much expectation. A Saturday, a pass, and visiting a new place was my intention. And till that time we didn’t get a chance to visit a prison. (I know one of my grandfathers was a jailer at Kannur prison). we showed our pass to the security there and to my surprise there were more people than I expected.
An audio tour was available and it was informative. With people around me, I felt secure and it was daytime too. I closed my eyes and imagined the situation with prisoners inside the cell, it was really scary. We entered some cells and saw the inside walk through the corridors and spend some time there taking photos. To the exit, there was a room where visitors can write letters to the prisoners and Esha too wrote one letter to the prisoner that she chose from a list. For more details about the prison visit https://www.easternstate.org/research. We stepped out of the prison and back to reality, the year 2023. Sidhu and Esha had a great experience and thanks to Chester County Library for allowing us to visit the historic penitentiary. we walked back to the car and returned home, filled with contentment by well spending an afternoon in the penitentiary. After reaching home I went through their website and found out that we can explore the historic cellblocks as the sun goes down! The admission includes all daytime programming plus exclusive offerings like the Fair Chance Beer Garden presented by Eastern State Penitentiary and Triple Bottom Brewing Company but only limited time and limited capacity.
