Junction City Prison
Encyclopedia
Junction City Prison was located at the intersection of S Adcock Road and Pen Road NW near Junction City, Ohio
.
in Columbus, Ohio
, for the care of aged and disabled prisoners. But on September 2, 1927 guard Grant Weakly was shot and killed during an escape attempt while escorting prisoners to the dentist office. The escapees Patrick Riley and Fred Kellogg were apprehended in nearby New Lexington, Ohio
.
In 1928, prisoners rebuilt the main wing in brick after the original building burned down. Between 1935 and 1938 the prison was closed while a third floor was added to the main cellblock. An educational wing was added in 1970. On January 7, 1974, two prisoners took three women hostage at knife-point. After several hours, the stand-off was ended when 28 Ohio State Highway officers
rushed the room. One inmate was killed and the other was injured.
Ohio State authorities closed the prison permanently in 1977.
. In 1980, the prison drama Brubaker
starring Robert Redford
was filmed within the former prison buildings. In the early 1990s, Perry County Pizza took over the educational wing of the old prison to make frozen pizza kits for school fundraisers.
In Spring 2005 the entire Junction City Prison was demolished.
Junction City, Ohio
Junction City is a village in Perry County, Ohio, United States. The population was 818 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Junction City is located at ....
.
History
Originally the site of a brick plant, the State of Ohio purchased the property in 1913 to be used as a satellite prison for the Ohio PenitentiaryOhio Penitentiary
The Ohio Penitentiary, also known as the Ohio State Penitentiary, or less formally, the Ohio Pen or State Pen, was a prison operated from 1834-1983 in downtown Columbus, Ohio, in what is now known as the Arena District. The prison housed 5,235 prisoners at its peak in 1955...
in Columbus, Ohio
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
, for the care of aged and disabled prisoners. But on September 2, 1927 guard Grant Weakly was shot and killed during an escape attempt while escorting prisoners to the dentist office. The escapees Patrick Riley and Fred Kellogg were apprehended in nearby New Lexington, Ohio
New Lexington, Ohio
New Lexington is a village in and the county seat of Perry County, Ohio, United States, southwest of Zanesville. The population was 4,689 at the 2000 census.In 1900, 1,701 people lived in New Lexington, Ohio; in 1910, 2,559 lived here.-Geography:...
.
In 1928, prisoners rebuilt the main wing in brick after the original building burned down. Between 1935 and 1938 the prison was closed while a third floor was added to the main cellblock. An educational wing was added in 1970. On January 7, 1974, two prisoners took three women hostage at knife-point. After several hours, the stand-off was ended when 28 Ohio State Highway officers
Ohio State Highway Patrol
The Ohio State Highway Patrol is a division of the Ohio Department of Public Safety and is the official highway patrol agency of Ohio. The several missions of the Patrol include providing roadway patrol, emergency response to all public lands, the investigation of crimes which occur on state...
rushed the room. One inmate was killed and the other was injured.
Ohio State authorities closed the prison permanently in 1977.
After closure
The prison was purchased by Nepco for use as a gasohol refineryRefinery
A refinery is a production facility composed of a group of chemical engineering unit processes and unit operations refining certain materials or converting raw material into products of value.-Types of refineries:Different types of refineries are as follows:...
. In 1980, the prison drama Brubaker
Brubaker
Brubaker is an American 1980 film about a prison in distress and the Warden Henry Brubaker who attempts to reform the system....
starring Robert Redford
Robert Redford
Charles Robert Redford, Jr. , better known as Robert Redford, is an American actor, film director, producer, businessman, environmentalist, philanthropist, and founder of the Sundance Film Festival. He has received two Oscars: one in 1981 for directing Ordinary People, and one for Lifetime...
was filmed within the former prison buildings. In the early 1990s, Perry County Pizza took over the educational wing of the old prison to make frozen pizza kits for school fundraisers.
In Spring 2005 the entire Junction City Prison was demolished.