Editing Eastern State Penitentiary (section)

=== Construction and Architecture ===

Architect '''John Haviland''' designed the prison in the Gothic Revival style, with castle-like walls and towers meant to convey the solemn nature of the institution. The design cost approximately $780,000—making it the most expensive building in America at the time of construction.

The prison featured a revolutionary '''radial floor plan''' with seven cellblocks extending from a central rotunda like spokes of a wheel. This design allowed guards in the central hub to observe all corridors simultaneously. Each cell measured approximately 8 by 12 feet with a 16-foot vaulted ceiling and included:

* Running water (rare even in the White House at the time)
* Flush toilet (decades before they were common)
* Central heating
* Skylight ("Eye of God" to encourage reflection)
* Private exercise yard