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The Prison

Alcatraz East blends together a mixture of design features that represent both Tennessee and Alcatraz. In 1898, the Tennessee State Prison was the first prison within the state, which opened just outside of Nashville. The prison was designed to look like a castle; a fortress of thick stone, masonry walls.

TN State PrisonFirst State Prison, Nashville, TN (1898)

The Alcatraz East design incorporates the ornate features of the Tennessee State Prison with guard towers inspired by the Alcatraz lighthouse and modern-day watchtowers.

Drawings of the Alcatraz East Museum

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