This article needs additional citations for verification. (August 2009) |
The Missouri State Penitentiary was a prison in Jefferson City, Missouri, that operated from 1836 to 2004.[1] Part of the Missouri Department of Corrections, it served as the state of Missouri's primary maximum security institution.[2] Before it closed, it was the oldest operating penal facility west of the Mississippi River. It was replaced by the Jefferson City Correctional Center, which opened on September 15, 2004.[3] The penitentiary is now a tourist attraction, and guided tours are offered.