Opened while Arizona was still a U.S. territory, the prison accepted its first inmate on July 1, 1876.[4] For the next 33 years 3,069 prisoners, including 29 women, served sentences there for crimes ranging from murder to polygamy.[5] The prison was under continuous construction with labor provided by the prisoners.[6] In 1909, the last prisoner left the Territorial Prison for the newly constructed Arizona State Prison Complex located in Florence, Arizona.[7] It was also the third historic park in Arizona. The state historic park also contains a graveyard where 104 of the prisoners are buried.[8]
High school
Yuma Union High School occupied the buildings from 1910 to 1914.[9] When the school's football team played against Phoenix and unexpectedly won, the Phoenix team called the Yuma team "criminals".[10] Yuma High adopted the nickname with pride, sometimes shortened to the "Crims". The school's symbol is the face of a hardened criminal, and the student merchandise shop is called the Cell Block.[11]
"Hell Hole Prison" season 12, episode 8 of the Travel Channel show Ghost Adventures was shot at the prison. focusing its allegedly history of hauntings.[18]
The prison was one of the two featured stories on the 71st episode of the podcast And That's Why We Drink.[19]
Named one of the top haunted destinations in America by USA Today in October 2020.[20]