The Old Montana State Prison in Deer Lodge, Montana, has two very different reputations: a documented history of incarceration, violence and reform, and a modern identity as a place where visitors report unexplained experiences. Its history alone is unsettling. Whether the reported hauntings have a paranormal explanation is a separate question.
Where is the Old Montana State Prison?
The former prison is located in Deer Lodge, Montana, and now forms part of the Old Prison Museum complex. Visitors can explore the historic site rather than an operating correctional institution. The museum identifies the site as the Old Montana Territorial Prison, while searches often use the terms “Old Montana State Prison” and “Old Montana Prison.”
Old Montana State Prison history: 1871 to the 1959 riot
1871: Montana’s first territorial prison opens
Behind the old stone walls in Deer Lodge is more than a century of Montana history. The territorial legislature sought funding for a prison in the 1860s as the population grew during the mining era. Construction began in 1870, and on July 2, 1871 the prison received its first inmate. It was a federal and territorial institution before Montana became a state in 1889. The Old Prison Museum’s official history and Montana Historical Society corrections records document the prison’s early decades.
1893 to 1912: Prisoners build the walls and cellblocks
The formidable perimeter wall, constructed in 1893 with inmate labor, gave the prison its fortress-like appearance. Under Warden Frank Conley, incarcerated men also built major prison facilities and worked on roads, farms and other projects. The 1912 brick cellblock added galleries of narrow cells, iron doors and long corridors that visitors can still see today. These are the same spaces associated with whispered voices, heavy footsteps and oppressive feelings in later ghost-hunting accounts.
April 1959: A deadly uprising changes Montana corrections
Decades of overcrowding, underfunding and deteriorating conditions culminated in the April 16, 1959 riot. Inmates Jerry Myles and Lee Smart were among the leaders. Deputy Warden Ted Rothe was killed, hostages were taken and the crisis lasted approximately 36 hours. The National Guard eventually stormed the prison, leaving damage that is still visible. The Montana Historical Society’s prison records describe the revolt and the deaths of Myles and Smart; the museum’s history records 26 hostages during the uprising.
1979 onward: The prison becomes a museum and haunted destination
By the late 1970s a new prison had replaced the old Deer Lodge facility. The historic complex was preserved and became a museum, its cellblocks, guard towers and maximum-security areas available for visitors to explore. Over time, reports of voices, footsteps, shadowy figures and unusual sensations made the empty prison an important destination for paranormal investigators. See the official Old Prison Museum guide for its surviving historic spaces and tours.
Is Old Montana State Prison Haunted? The Encounters Behind Its Reputation
Visitors and ghost-hunting teams have long reported unexpected footsteps along empty cellblocks, voices from behind locked doors, moving shadows and sudden feelings of being watched. The contrast is striking: an institution that once held prisoners through decades of hardship is now empty, yet people still describe the sensation of someone nearby. The museum itself acknowledges the paranormal interest and hosts opportunities for investigation.
There is good reason these encounters stay with visitors. The 1893 walls, the 1912 cellblock, the riot-scarred tower and the old maximum-security spaces are tangible reminders of the people who lived and died under confinement. Their history gives the reports emotional weight, while visitors’ observations and investigators’ recordings add to the story of this famously haunted Montana landmark.
The 1959 riot and the prison’s haunted reputation
The riot is a central chapter in the prison’s history, yet there is no reliable basis to assume that a specific sound, shadow or experience is caused by an individual who lived or died there. Historical claims should be supported by archival records; paranormal interpretations should be assessed through original recordings, conditions at the scene and attempts to reproduce the result.
Old Montana State Prison tours and ghost investigations
The Old Prison Museum offers paranormal-oriented events and interactive lockdown experiences. Its published information distinguishes short paranormal portions of the lockdown event from dedicated ghost investigations, so readers should consult the museum for current programming, rules and availability rather than assuming every tour is a full investigation.
What Ghost Hunters Experience in the Prison’s Cellblocks
Investigators approach the former prison to listen for disembodied voices, document the heavy footsteps that visitors describe, and explore the unsettling atmosphere in the tiers of cells. Audio recorders, night cameras and firsthand witness accounts can preserve the exact setting and moment of an encounter. Those reports are part of the modern history of the prison, alongside the records of its inmates, guards and most notorious incidents.
Notorious inmates and killers associated with Old Montana State Prison
The historic Deer Lodge prison held murderers and other violent offenders over more than a century, but it is essential to distinguish inmates in the Old Montana Prison, which closed in 1979, from inmates at the new Montana State Prison outside Deer Lodge.
Carl Panzram: a notorious murderer held at Deer Lodge
Carl Panzram, a convicted criminal who later confessed to multiple murders, served time at the old Deer Lodge prison under the alias Jefferson Davis during the 1910s. His violent history and prison record are part of the institution’s documented criminal history; they should not be confused with subsequent legends about other prisoners.
Paul “Turkey Pete” Eitner: murderer and one of the prison’s best-known inmates
Paul Eitner was convicted of murder and sentenced to life in 1918. He became known as “Turkey Pete” while caring for the prison’s turkeys. His story remains one of the museum’s best-known inmate histories and is sometimes incorporated into haunting accounts.
Jerry Myles and Lee Smart: the deadly 1959 prison riot
Inmates Jerry Myles and Lee Smart led the infamous 1959 escape attempt and riot in which Deputy Warden Ted Rothe was killed. Montana Historical Society records describe Myles killing Smart and then himself as the uprising collapsed. These events happened in the historic prison and are supported by institutional records.
Stanley Dean Baker: the cannibalism and Satanic-ritual legend
Stanley Dean Baker is likely the man referred to in paranormal retellings as a cannibalistic Satan worshiper. He was implicated in the murder and dismemberment of James Schlosser in 1970, and accounts of his case include occult beliefs and alleged cannibalism. However, a claim repeated in paranormal television that he occupied a particular cell in Old Montana Prison has not been verified by a prison intake record. Some accounts instead place him at the Park County Jail and at Warm Springs State Hospital. Until a primary prison register confirms his confinement in the old Deer Lodge building, it is inaccurate to label any preserved cell as definitively “Stanley Dean Baker’s cell.”
Nathaniel Bar-Jonah: a separate case at the newer prison
Another name often confused with this story is Nathaniel Bar-Jonah, convicted of kidnapping and sexual assault and accused—but never convicted—of murder and cannibalism. He died in 2008 at the new Montana State Prison. The museum prison had closed in 1979, so Bar-Jonah could not have been confined in its preserved cells during his 2000s incarceration.
Tim Wood’s reported discovery of old bones inside the prison
During LiveSciFi’s investigation, Tim Wood discovered what appeared to be old bones in the cell the team identified as Stanley Dean Baker’s cell. Tim recalls the location specifically as Baker’s cell, where the discovery occurred. This is LiveSciFi’s firsthand account of the cell identification and discovery. However, the cell’s historical assignment to Baker and whether the material was human bone have not been independently corroborated by an inmate register or forensic report reviewed for this article. The discovery should not be presented as evidence of murder, cannibalism or Satanic ritual without a forensic identification and the relevant inmate records. Once the original LiveSciFi episode is located and reviewed, the exact footage and timestamp can be linked here so viewers can evaluate the find directly.
Sources: Montana Historical Society, Montana State Prison records; Old Prison Museum; Associated Press reporting on Nathaniel Bar-Jonah. Inmate-specific occult stories and the identity of any bone fragments remain unverified.
Is It True? The Prison’s History and Haunting Reports
The prison’s long history is documented: it opened in 1871, inmates built its monumental walls and cellblocks, and the deadly 1959 uprising reshaped Montana corrections. Visitors can still enter the historic spaces where generations of incarcerated people and guards lived and worked. The museum itself recognizes the site’s paranormal reputation, and investigators report voices, footsteps, shadow-like forms and unsettling experiences in these rooms.
LiveSciFi’s own account of exploring the prison, including the examination of old bone-like material, belongs within that firsthand record. Histories of individual inmates and their crimes should be traced to the actual old prison rather than confused with the newer institution outside Deer Lodge. The stories and encounters are a major reason the former penitentiary remains one of Montana’s most compelling haunted locations.
Frequently asked questions
What happened at the Old Montana State Prison in 1959?
A violent uprising resulted in hostages and the death of Deputy Warden Ted Rothe. The standoff ended after approximately 36 hours.
Can you visit the Old Montana State Prison?
Yes. It is preserved as part of a museum complex in Deer Lodge. Check the museum’s current visitor information before traveling.
Why do people report ghostly activity at Old Montana State Prison?
Visitors and investigators describe voices, footsteps, shadows and unusual sensations in the former cellblocks. Their encounters, together with the prison’s dramatic history, explain its reputation as one of Montana’s most compelling haunted landmarks.
Sources and further reading
- Powell County Museum & Arts Foundation: Old Prison Museum history
- Old Prison Museum: interactive lockdown information
More Montana investigations from LiveSciFi
For a separate Montana case with original LiveSciFi recordings, explore our Dumas Brothel history and hauntings guide and the Dumas Brothel overnight investigation from In Search of the Paranormal LIVE. These recordings were made in Butte, not at the Old Montana State Prison. Explore more locations in the LiveSciFi haunted locations archive.