West Virginia Penitentiary was designed in the Romanesque Revival style popular for 19th-century institutions - Gothic enough to intimidate, medieval enough to suggest an impregnable fortress. The front wall is hand-cut sandstone with castellated turrets; the main entrance is an arched gate. Behind this imposing facade stretched cellblocks, workshops, and a yard enclosed by walls. The original cells were 5x7 feet, designed for single occupancy; at the prison's peak, two or three men shared each cell. The administration building, chapel, and hospital showed the era's belief that architecture could reform criminals - that order, discipline, and proper environment could redeem. The building's grandeur belied the conditions inside.

The prison opened during Reconstruction, filled immediately, and remained overcrowded for its entire existence. West Virginia had no other maximum-security facility; everyone from petty thieves to murderers went to Moundsville. Discipline was harsh: solitary confinement, the 'Kicking Jenny' (a torture device), and corporal punishment were standard. Ninety-four men were executed - nine by hanging in the yard, 85 in the electric chair nicknamed 'Old Sparky.' Riots erupted periodically, most notably in 1986 when inmates took hostages; three were killed before the uprising ended. By the 1980s, federal courts had ruled the conditions unconstitutional. The prison closed in 1995 when a new facility opened.

West Virginia Penitentiary consistently ranks among America's most haunted locations. The claims are extensive: shadow figures in cellblocks, voices in empty rooms, cold spots, equipment malfunctions, and apparitions of former inmates. The 'Sugar Shack' - a recreational area where prisoners made weapons and conducted illicit business - is considered particularly active. The shadow of the 'Shadow Man' allegedly stalks the halls. Ghost hunting shows have filmed here; paranormal investigators book overnight stays. Skeptics note that dark, echo-prone buildings with violent histories invite imagination. Believers point to consistent reports across decades. The prison offers ghost tours and paranormal investigation packages.

Across the street from the prison rises Grave Creek Mound, the largest conical burial mound in North America - 69 feet tall, 295 feet in diameter at the base, built by the Adena culture around 250-150 BCE. The mound contained elaborate burials; a museum interprets Adena culture. The juxtaposition is striking: an ancient sacred site beside a monument to punishment, Indigenous burial practices beside state-sanctioned execution. The mound predates the prison by 2,000 years; both represent their cultures' approaches to death and memory. Visitors can see both in a single stop, contemplating very different relationships with mortality.

The West Virginia Penitentiary is located in Moundsville, West Virginia, on the Ohio River south of Wheeling. The prison is open for regular tours, specialty tours, and overnight paranormal investigations. Tour options include daytime history tours, evening ghost tours, and full-night ghost hunts. Special events include Halloween programming and prison dinners. The Grave Creek Mound and museum are across the street. Moundsville is accessible via Route 2 along the Ohio River. Wheeling is 12 miles north; Pittsburgh is 60 miles northeast. The nearest commercial airport serves Pittsburgh. The prison is a sobering experience; the ghost tour adds entertainment. Allow 2-3 hours for tours and the mound.