Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary

The "Alcatraz of the South"

By: Katrina Wiens

Visitor Gate

Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary was not a place where men were sent to be rehabilitated; they were sent here to die. Whether it be of natural causes, execution, or violence- being sent to Brushy Mountain State Prison was the end of the line. The worst of the worst were sent to the first maximum security prison in the state of Tennessee. James Earl Ray, Byron Looper, George Hyatte, and many more men would call this place home in the prison’s 113 years in operation.

Outside Wall.

Located in Petros, Tennessee, the idea for Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary came in the aftermath of the Coal Creek War in 1891. Local miners protested the use of unpaid convict leasing in the local mines, and after a Tennessee Legislators ruled in favor of the citizens, the state of Tennessee decided to begin its own mining operation. With the help of geologists, the location of the prison was determined. When Brushy Mountain Penitentiary was established in 1896, its sole purpose was to use convicts mine coal.

Gate where all convicts would entire the complex.

Right gate.

Far shot of main building.

Main Building.

 In 1931, fire hazard concern over the original wooden building would lead to the idea to rebuild. Using stone quarried from the mountains around the area, inmates constructed the building that still stands to this day.

Back of annex.

Brushy Mountain State Prison is the only prison in the world that uses the natural rock face as one of the walls of the prison.

Backed against Frozen Head State Park and National Reserve, the complex used the rugged terrain as extra reinforcement from escapes. That’s not to say that many men didn’t try to escape during its 113 years in operation.

The most famous escape was June 10, 1977, when James Earl Ray and six other inmates attempted to escape. One man was shot as he tried to climb the fence, while the five others were captured quickly. James Earl Ray was captured approximately 54.5 hours after his escape, only 6 miles from the prison. His lack of progress proving the terrains unforgiving nature and reinforcing the idea that you couldn’t escape.

Years later this escape would inspire the Barkley Marathon - named after Barry Barkley, a friend and supporter of the race creator, Gary Cantrell - that challenges qualified individuals to attempt an escape via the route that James Earl Ray started. One-hundred miles with a sixty-hour time limit and no GPS or cell phone, less than fifteen have finished the trek. 
 

Chapel, Laundry, and Solitary.

Laundry.

Chapel.

Stairs to solitary.

Inside cell three of solitary.

When you walk into the complex’s right gate, you’re met with a building that without context, looks unassuming. On the left of this building was laundry while on the right is the prison chapel. Beneath the floors is solitary confinement, nicknamed, “the hole.” Appropriate name, given only two tiny windows bring in light to the office. Inside the hall where the cells were located, light was nonexistent. Inmates would be put into a four foot by ten foot cells in complete darkness for a minimum of two-week stints at a time. Stepping in you can see the suffering engraved on the walls.

Runs in D-Block.

On the left of the complex sits the building nicknamed, “Hotel California.” Inmates called it this because you could check out but you could never leave. As you can probably guess, this was the building that housed the inmates in for life and those sitting on death row. Due to moisture problems, the building is locked from outsiders for now, but visitors can still walk into the, "runs." Five forty foot lanes where inmates would be given an hour outside. Featuring a pull-up bar and punching bag, the runs that were more reminiscent of dog kennels.

Inside the building is where the electric chair sat, in full view of the other inmates there as another fear tactic. Next to the D Block building were two poles that have since been removed. Guards would tie disruptive inmates to these poles, then whip their bare backs with a leather strap. The placement of these poles was strategic so that inmates suffering could be heard throughout the complex. While I had difficulty finding the exact year, it was well into the 20th century before this practice would be banned.

Prison yard.

Main block.

Racial tensions played a significant role throughout the building’s history, and James Earl Ray’s presence only added fuel to the fire. In 1982, seven white inmates would escape their cells and used a gun smuggled into them (rumored to be from a guard) to take four guards hostage and murder two black inmates in their cells.

Windows to prison yard.

Inmates would not be the only victims of violence in the prison’s time. As late as 2002 a counselor would be stabbed in the back and arms by inmate Steven L. Hugueley, and would die before guards could intervene. The most chilling part of the case was that the Hugueley had no prior history with the counselor, and was already serving two life sentences for murdering his mother with a shotgun and two other inmates at different prisons with illegal homemade weapons. When he was asked why he felt no remorse for the murders, he answered, “I ain’t got nothing to lose.”

Main prison block.

Prison cell.

Another hall in main prison block.

Four stories tall, with rows of eight-foot by ten-foot cells, is the main block. Nine years of abandonment and moisture have taken its toll on the building, as the paint is peeling off the walls and rust covers every piece of metal in the building.

Commissary.

Commissary.

Commissary.

The commissary was the most cheerful room in the complex, with the walls painted with beautiful murals painted by the inmates themselves. Images of landscapes, animals, and people reflected the inmate’s desire for freedom.

View from guard tower.

Three layers thick of barbed wire line the walls.

In its time the prison would only officially close once, in 1972 after a strike by correctional officers with the issue of unsafe working conditions. It would reopen again in 1976 as the only unionized prison in the entire state.

View of annex from guard tower of D Block and the "Tombs."

The newest building on the property was built in the 1970s called, "The Tombs." Due to renovations taking place I was not permitted to enter, but I was told that well-behaving inmates were granted residence here. Each cell had its own shower and a recreational area in the center of the building. The architecture alone was a stark difference from the rest of the complex.

On June 11, 2009, the prison would shut its doors down after a newer and larger prison was built. For nearly nine years the complex sat abandoned, but there is hope for a future here. Plans are currently in progress to renovate and transform the complex into a museum, distillery, restaurant, orchard, and more. As much of the central complex will be persevered, with special care being taking toward the murals in the commissary. Details on these plans can be found on the Brushy Mountain Group’s website.

Through all the dark history and haunting stories, there was good that came out of this place. Guards would be better treated throughout the state and prison reform would become a more prominent concern. Inmates would be treated more humanely and would teach legislators that it was necessary to create safer conditions for the future.

View from parking lot.

This project is not intended to offend anyone. I do not wish to lessen the impact of the inmate's crimes on the victims or families. 

All images belong to me, Katrina Wiens and K.Wiens Photography.

Works Cited

“5 Prisoners Found Guilty in Meat Cleaver Slaying.” The Knoxville News-Sentinel, 28 Mar. 1979, pp. 15–15.

Barrett, Bob. “Exhausted Earl Ray Caught Unharmed.” The Knoxville News-Sentinel, 13 June 1977, pp. 1–2, infoweb.newsbank.com.ezproxy.knoxlib.org/resources/doc/nb/image/page/v2%3A1429536AE5ADB4DF%40EANX-NB-15D1CED9AC76D4E0%402443308-15D1CC19A59A695D%400?p=WORLDNEWS&drefer=image%2Fv2%3A1429536AE5ADB4DF%40EANX-NB-15D1CED9AC76D4E0%402443308-15D16E7262496B8F%401-15D16E7262496B8F%40.

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“Dyer County Man Suspected in Prison Killing.” Dyersburg State Gazette, 7 Aug. 2003, www.stategazette.com/story/1027287.html.

“Home.” Brushy Mountain Group, brushymtngroup.com/.

“JAMES EARL RAY IS A STAB VICTIM IN PRISON ATTACK.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 4 June 1981, www.nytimes.com/1981/06/05/us/james-earl-ray-is-a-stab-victim-in-prison-attack.html.

“Many Might .”

“Petros to Get New Barracks.” The Knoxville News-Sentinel, 3 July 1931, pp. 12–12, infoweb.newsbank.com.ezproxy.knoxlib.org/resources/doc/nb/image/v2%3A1429536AE5ADB4DF%40EANX-

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Pulle, Matt. “Tales from Brushy Mountain.” Nashville Scene, 30 Oct. 2003, www.nashvillescene.com/news/article/13009175/tales-from-brushy-mountain.

Rawls, Wendell. “FORTRESS PRISON HARBORS VIOLENCE THAT ERUPTED IN DEATH OF 2 BLACKS.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 16 Feb. 1982, www.nytimes.com/1982/02/17/us/fortress-prison-harbors-violence-that-erupted-in-

death-of-2-blacks.html.

Seminara, Dave. “Few Know How to Enter; Fewer Finish.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 27 Mar. 2013, www.nytimes.com/2013/03/28/sports/the-barkley-marathons-few-know-how-to-enter-fewer-

finish.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0.

Strong, Benton J. “Many Might Burn at Brushy Mountain If Prison Caught Fire.” The Knoxville News-Sentinel, 26 Mar. 1931, pp. 7–7, infoweb.newsbank.com.ezproxy.knoxlib.org/resources/doc/nb/image/v2%3A1429536AE5ADB4DF%40EANX-

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Williams, Alan. “Former Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary Employees Share Their Memories.” WVLT TV Local 8, 3 Mar. 2016, www.local8now.com/content/news/Brushy-Revisited-370839401.html.

Ziliak, Lindsey. “Get the New News Sentinel App.” Brushy Mountain Inmates Transferred as Prison Shuts down after 113 Years, 8 June 2009, archive.knoxnews.com/news/local/brushy-mountain-inmates-transferred-as-prison-shuts-down-

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