Visit Huntsville: Texas Prison Museum

Morgan Robertson

With March designated as National Criminal Justice Month, the majority of the LEAP Ambassadors studying Criminal Justice, and, well, Huntsville being Huntsville with seven state prisons; we saw it fit to visit the Texas Prison Museum for our March edition of Visit Huntsville.

Established in 1989, the non-profit (which is not affiliated with TDCJ) has served citizens and visitors by satisfying the curiosity that shrouds the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) and what happens inside those red-brick walls.

Olivia, who has visited the Walls Unit twice, enjoyed describing some of her experiences as we peered over a miniature model of the penitentiary in Texas. This was but one example of displays that captivated our attention during our visit.

Michelle particularly enjoyed the “famous/Infamous” prisoners section, where we saw many familiar names, including Clyde Barrow and Fred Carrasco.

However, of the names and stories we read, she knew the most about the various plots and conspiracies regarding the murder of Selena Quintanilla-Pérez by Yolanda Saldívar.

The Texas Prison Museum should take pride in what they accomplish though documenting the history of TDCJ, detailing what current conditions are like as an inmate, and honoring the 36,000 employees that work for the agency across the state.

The Museum also has a wide array of items made by those incarcerated. Both the illicit and sanctioned products were shocking in terms of skill and craftsmanship.

My favorite was an entire chess set, carved entirely out of soap, with prison inmates and guards pitted against one another. Upon further inspection, the guards held batons, and coffee mugs while inmates sported homemade weapons.

The main attraction found at the Texas Prison Museum, perhaps because of morbid curiosity, is Old Sparky. From 1924 to 1964, the electric chair was the sight of 361 deaths in the state of Texas.

Preceded by hanging and succeeded by lethal injection, Old Sparky now remains decommissioned and in the Museum as a unique part of TDCJ history.

The Museum and its dedicated staff do a great job of educating the public, offering interesting and intriguing exhibits, and shining light on the rarely-seen lives of TDCJ inmates. It’s a great stop on any visit to Huntsville, TX!