Prisons of Canon City
Newman, Victoria R. / Museum, Of Colorado Prisons / Museum of Colorado Prisons
Canon City sits in a geological bowl surrounded by the Rocky Mountains and the Sangre de Cristo mountain range. Historically, it has been known as the prison capital of the world, with eight-- soon to be nine--state prisons in the area and four federal facilities located 11 miles away in Florence. The first prison in Canon City was built in 1868, before Colorado became a state, and was opened in 1871. Originally known as the Colorado Territori...