Captivating Conversations: Prison Labor at the Idaho State Penitentiary

“Sentenced to hard labor at the Idaho State Penitentiary…” were some of the words that prisoners often heard upon discovering their fate. Join historian Camille Daw at the Old Idaho Penitentiary for a Captivating Conversation regarding the hard labor prisoners performed at the Idaho State Penitentiary. Discussion includes the construction of the prison, industrial goods produced by the prisoners, prison agriculture, and maintaining the site.

Camille Daw is a graduate student at Boise State University studying Public History. Her research focuses on Minidoka National Historic Site and the Japanese American incarceration experience. However, she also studied the labor history of the Idaho State Penitentiary for her undergraduate senior thesis and has since continued her research on the topic. Her nearly three years of experience working at the Old Idaho Penitentiary created a strong interest in the lives of the men and women who lived and worked at the prison.

This event is FREE. Pre-register online, or arrive at the Old Idaho Penitentiary by 6:30 pm on Friday, June 17, 2022.

Event: Friday, June 17, 2022. Doors open at 6:00 pm, presentation begins at 6:30 pm. Site closes at 8:00 pm. Arrive early to explore the site, and grab complimentary refreshments before the conversation begins.

“Captivating Conversations” is an ongoing lecture series, hosted by the Old Idaho Penitentiary and featuring a variety of guest speakers and topics ranging from the history of the Idaho State Penitentiary to the issues facing correctional institutions today.