Arsenal Penitentiary facts for kids
The Arsenal Penitentiary was a prison building in Washington, D.C. It served as a military prison during the American Civil War. Today, this historic site is located within Fort Lesley J. McNair. Four people involved in the plot to assassinate President Abraham Lincoln, named David Herold, Lewis Powell, George Atzerodt, and Mary Surratt, faced serious consequences there on July 7, 1865.
History of the Arsenal Penitentiary
The Arsenal Penitentiary first opened its doors in 1831. It was built on Greenleaf Point, where the Potomac River and the Anacostia River meet in Washington, D.C. The famous architect Charles Bulfinch designed the building. It stood right next to the Washington Arsenal, separated by a wall.
The Penitentiary During the Civil War
During the American Civil War, the penitentiary stopped being a prison in September 1862. The military needed the space to store weapons and supplies. Civilian prisoners were moved to a different prison in Albany. Soldiers who had broken military rules were sent to the Old Capital Prison.
The Arsenal Penitentiary became a military prison again in April 1865. This was a very important time in history. Eight people linked to the assassination of President Lincoln were held there. They faced trials at this location. Four of them were put to death on the prison grounds.
These individuals, along with John Wilkes Booth, were first buried in a storeroom at the prison. However, in 1869, their bodies were given back to their families.
Today, the former Arsenal Penitentiary is part of a military base. This means it is a restricted area and not open to the public.
