For nearly 130 years, the old West Virginia Penitentiary was the biggest thing in Moundsville, WV. But two years ago, the Civil War-era fortress was closed and the prisoners moved out.

This town is making lemonade from their lemon, though, and is in the process of turning the prison into an offbeat tourist attraction, similar to the Wyoming's Rawlins Territorial Prison and Colorado's Territorial Prison Museum.

20,000 people visited last year, becoming pretend prisoners in the process. But there was no marketing -- mostly word-of-mouth and a few brochures. Still, "that's more people than Moundsville has seen in a long time," said Phil Remke, founder of the Moundsville Economic Development Council. "We've got to get some pride back in this community. We've lost that over the many years."

Buses unload tourists at a former guard shack, and a mug shot is taken before visitors meet their tour guide. Then, a hydraulic gate separates the tourist-prisoners from the outside world. Visitors see the dining hall where 15 corrections officers and a food-service worker were taken hostage in the 1986 riot in which three inmates were tortured to death. And "Old Sparky," the state's electric chair that killed nine, is on display. Many of the guides are former corrections officers.

While not without controversy -- local seniors want the adjacent 15-room warden's mansion for bingo (while Remke says it would make a great bed and breakfast) -- Moundsville is now a legitimate stop for summertime trip-tickers.

[06/29/1997]