Tours - Two Bits
The prison as a tourist destination
From the August 18, 1898 Anamosa Eureka:
The members of the Board of Control present have construed the law admitting visitors to mean that no one but the Governor, Secretary, Auditor and Treasurer of State, members of the General Assembly, Judges of the Supreme, Superior and District courts, County Attorneys and all regular officiating Ministers of the Gospel shall be permitted to go within the prison where convicts are confined, except by permission of the Warden and on payment of twenty-five cents.
Editor's Note For many years the fee of twenty-five cents to tour the prison was used to purchase books for the prison library. In fact, when the Anamosa City Park was situated where the courthouse now stands, a trip to Anamosa to tour the prison and have a picnic in the nearby park was a preferred day trip for many Cedar Rapidians. The train conveniently stopped near both! Here is a picture of some dignified ladies awaiting entrance after paying their 25 cent fee.