A Visit to Georgia State Prison of Reidsville

Georgia State Prison of Reidsville, Georgia

        The Georgia State prison of Reidsville is a monumental institution. The Georgia State Prison is Georgia’s oldest prison. Like many buildings in the Atlanta area, the prison was designed by Mekendree Tucker and Albert Howell. Located in Tattanall County and Reidsville, the prison was constructed in the 1930’s. The prison was purchased from the federal government for one point one billion dollars by the Department of Offender Rehabilitation and later changed to the Georgia Department of Corrections.

        Since the prison has opened it has encountered many historic events. For example in July 1980 four death row prisoners escaped the prison wearing blue pajamas that resembled guard uniforms. All four convicts were found, and only one was found dead. Other Unfortunate events have also occurred at the Georgia State Prison.  On January 1, 1938 the electric chair was brought to the Georgia State Prison at Reidsville. Many men in the state of Georgia were electrocuted to death at the Georgia State Prison. However, there was only one woman, Lena Baker. Lena Baker was, what some say, wrongfully convicted in 1944 of murder and sentenced to death. On February 23, 1945 she was executed. In 2001 the state of Georgia banned the use of the electric chair.

The fifth floor of the Gerogia State Prison of Reidsville now serves as a museum. The museum. The museum consist of the list of people executed in the state of Georgia along with final words and pictures. The museum also has the remains of the electric chair, death row cells, and the body examination room. Reading the final words of those men was an unforgettable experience. Many of the men felt they were innocent and expressed that in their words, others had nothing to say.      

Unfortunately in the line of duty many officers are often injured and even killed. On July 23, 1978 was known as “Bloody Sunday”. On this day a prison riot broke out and an officer Dan Harrison was killed in the mist of events. Officer Harrison was stabbed multiple times and then burned under a pile of mattresses. Just outside of B1, you can see the spot and the discoloration of the floor where the officer was burned. The statue in the rotunda and the permanent marks on the floor are a constant reminder of the risk officers take every day. Working in corrections is not a job that should not be taken for granted. Every day on the job officers are risking their lives in hopes to assists in rehabilitation of offenders.