Step Inside a Dark Haunted Prison

Discover the Burlington County Prison Museum, a historic three-story masonry structure designed by Robert Mills, one of America’s first native-born and trained architects. This U-shaped stone prison features two wings and a formidable main entrance secured by a heavy wooden door with historic strap hinges and a peephole.

Inside, the layout reflects early 19th-century penal philosophy. Larger cells housed multiple, low-risk inmates, while the most dangerous prisoners were locked away on the top floor. Today, surviving wall-mounted shackles on the third floor stand as a stark reminder of its grim past.

 

Operating continuously from 1811 through 1965, this landmark was the oldest operating prison in the United States. Shortly after closing its doors in 1965, the facility was converted into a historic site and museum. Today, it houses original prison artifacts and shares the haunting stories of the inmates who lived within its stone walls.

 

Early New Jersey laws mandated the death penalty for capital crimes, leading to two infamous public hangings in the prison yard in 1830. One execution was of a young man named Joel Clough; the other was a local woman.

The prison yard is not the only site of tragedy. The building’s violent history includes a guard killed in the line of duty and several inmates who were killed during desperate escape attempts.

 

Ghost hunters and paranormal enthusiasts rank the Burlington County Prison among the most haunted locations in NJ. Visitors frequently report seeing a tall man in uniform roaming the basement.

On the third floor, paranormal activity intensifies. Witnesses report the sounds of heavy jail cell doors slamming, shackles clanking against the brick passageways, and the unexplained smell of cigarette smoke.

Are you brave enough to explore this dark dungeon alone and face the spirits hiding in the shadows?

Join us and get locked down with the most infamous prison souls in New Jersey.