Utah State Prison / Old Sugar House Prison site – Haunted Prison in Salt Lake City, Utah
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> Utah State Prison / Old Sugar House Prison site – Haunted Prison in Salt Lake City, Utah
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Full Address: 2100 South 1300 East, Salt Lake City, UT 84106 (approximate historic site location)
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The Old Sugar House Prison stands as one of Utah’s most notorious locations. This abandoned correctional facility witnessed decades of violence, despair, and death within its walls.
The site has earned a reputation for intense paranormal activity. Visitors and investigators report unexplained phenomena that seem to echo the prison’s dark past.
Located in what is now a trendy Salt Lake City neighborhood, few traces remain. The shopping center and residential areas that replaced it hide a violent history.
The original Utah State Prison operated from 1855 until 1951 at this location. During those 96 years, the facility housed some of the territory’s most dangerous criminals.
Executions took place here with disturbing regularity throughout its operational years. The spirits of those who died seem unwilling to leave the grounds.
Historical Background
The Utah Territorial Prison opened in 1855 in Sugar House. The facility served as the primary correctional institution for the Utah Territory.
The prison originally consisted of simple sandstone buildings and crude cells. Conditions were harsh and overcrowding became a serious problem by the 1880s.
In 1951, the prison moved to a new location in Draper, Utah. The old Sugar House facility was demolished to make way for urban development.
During its 96 years of operation, the prison witnessed numerous executions. Utah employed hanging, firing squad, and eventually the gas chamber as execution methods.
One of the most famous inmates was Gary Gilmore in the 1970s. However, Gilmore was executed at the newer Draper facility, not Sugar House.
The prison saw riots, escapes, and violent deaths throughout its history. In 1903, a massive riot resulted in several guard and inmate casualties.
Conditions in the early years were notoriously brutal and inhumane. Inmates suffered from disease, malnutrition, and brutal treatment from guards.
The execution chamber became operational in the 1870s with hangings. Between 1877 and 1951, at least 42 executions occurred on the grounds.
One particularly tragic event occurred in 1912 when three inmates died. A fire swept through a cell block, trapping prisoners in their locked cells.
The prison cemetery held bodies of executed inmates and those who died. Many bodies were never claimed by families and remain beneath the modern development.
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The former prison site experiences consistent reports of ghostly manifestations. Activity peaks during evening hours when darkness settles over the area.
Shadow figures appear frequently in the Sugar House Park area adjacent to the site. These dark shapes move with purpose through spaces where cell blocks once stood.
Disembodied voices and screams echo through the night near the old prison location. Witnesses describe hearing men shouting, pleading, and crying out in anguish.
Cold spots manifest suddenly in areas that correspond to former execution sites. Temperature drops of 20-30 degrees occur without any natural explanation.
Electronic devices malfunction consistently when brought near the historic prison grounds. Cameras drain rapidly, phones shut off, and recording equipment produces strange interference.
Several notable spirits have been identified through repeated encounters and descriptions. The most commonly seen apparition wears striped prison clothing from the early 1900s.
A ghostly guard figure patrols what was once the prison’s perimeter. This spectral sentry appears in period-appropriate uniform and carries a visible rifle.
The smell of smoke occasionally permeates areas where the 1912 fire occurred. This phantom odor appears suddenly and dissipates just as quickly.
Physical sensations include being touched, pushed, or grabbed by invisible hands. Several people report feeling fingers wrap around their arms or shoulders.
Phantom footsteps echo in parking lots built over former cell blocks. The distinctive sound of boots on concrete floors persists despite modern pavement.
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Ghost Stories & Reports
The most frequently encountered spirit is known as “The Hanged Man.” This apparition appears as a figure with a rope around his neck.
Witnesses describe The Hanged Man as middle-aged with a weathered face. His prison uniform dates to approximately the 1890s based on historical photographs.
One security guard working near the site in 2003 reported a chilling encounter. He observed a man in striped clothing walking through a solid brick wall.
The guard followed the figure and watched it vanish near the fountain. Research later revealed the fountain sits precisely where the gallows once stood.
A woman named Patricia Chen reported seeing multiple figures in 2008. She witnessed what appeared to be a prison lineup near the shopping center.
Chen described six men standing in formation wearing vintage prison uniforms. They remained visible for approximately thirty seconds before fading from view.
Local folklore speaks of a prisoner named William Peterson executed in 1896. Peterson maintained his innocence until the moment the trapdoor opened beneath him.
Legend claims Peterson cursed the prison with his final breath. Some believe his angry spirit remains, seeking justice for his wrongful execution.
Another documented spirit is that of Guard Captain James Morrison. Morrison died during the violent 1903 riot when inmates overwhelmed him.
Morrison’s ghost appears in full uniform carrying a nightstick. He seems to continue his rounds, eternally vigilant against threats long since passed.
The spirits of the 1912 fire victims manifest as screaming voices. These sounds typically occur between 2 and 3 AM on winter nights.
Witnesses report hearing desperate pleas for help and keys rattling. The sounds suggest prisoners trapped and unable to escape the flames.
A particularly disturbing entity known as “The Warden” appears in dark clothing. This figure stands approximately six feet tall with an imposing, menacing presence.
The Warden seems to watch people who linger too long near the site. His appearance often precedes feelings of dread and overwhelming fear.
Children playing in Sugar House Park have reported seeing “the sad men.” These apparitions appear briefly near the park’s eastern edge bordering the site.
Parents initially dismissed these stories as imagination until multiple unrelated children described identical figures. The children consistently describe men in stripes looking sorrowful and lost.
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Most Haunted Spot
The area near 2100 South and 1300 East represents the most active location. This spot once housed the main cell block and execution chamber.
The parking lot behind the strip mall experiences the highest concentration of activity. Witnesses report shadow figures, disembodied voices, and overwhelming feelings of despair.
The southwest corner of Sugar House Park shows significant paranormal activity. This area corresponds to the former prison cemetery and burial grounds.
Late night visitors to this section report seeing ghostly figures rising from the ground. The apparitions appear confused and seem to be searching for something.
A specific location near the fountain in the shopping center attracts consistent phenomena. This marks the precise spot where the gallows once stood.
People standing near the fountain frequently report sudden cold sensations. Some describe feeling a rope brushing against their necks despite nothing being there.
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Can You Visit?
The site is open to the public as it is now commercial property. Sugar House Park adjacent to the location provides easy access day and night.
There is no entry fee to visit the area or the park. The shopping center operates as a normal business district during regular hours.
No official paranormal tours are available at this location. However, several local ghost tour companies include the site on their driving routes.
Photography is allowed in all public areas including the park and parking lots. Be respectful of private businesses and avoid trespassing on restricted property.
The park is open from dawn until 11 PM according to city ordinances. The shopping center maintains normal business hours with parking available after hours.
For the best experience, visit the fountain area and parking lots after dark. The park’s eastern edge near 1300 East also shows consistent activity.
Best Time to Visit
Most paranormal activity occurs between 11 PM and 3 AM. These late-night hours correspond to when many executions took place historically.
Winter months, particularly January and February, show increased activity levels. The 1912 fire occurred in February, possibly explaining the heightened phenomena.
The anniversary of the 1903 riot falls on June 15th each year. Visitors on this date report exceptionally intense experiences and clear manifestations.
Full moon nights generate numerous reports of shadow figure sightings. The increased natural light may make entities more visible to witnesses.
Weeknights typically offer quieter conditions for investigation than weekends. Less foot traffic from shoppers allows for better observation of unusual phenomena.
First-Hand Accounts & Eyewitness Reports
In 2015, paranormal investigator Michael Torres documented electronic voice phenomena near the site. His recordings captured what sounds like men speaking in distress.
Torres played the recordings for historians familiar with early Utah territorial slang. They confirmed the voices used vocabulary and speech patterns from the 1890s.
Store employee Jennifer Walsh reported a 2012 encounter while closing her shop. She observed a man in outdated clothing standing motionless in the parking lot.
Walsh approached to offer assistance but the figure vanished completely. Security cameras reviewed later showed no one in the location at that time.
A 2018 overnight vigil by the Salt Lake Paranormal Society yielded significant results. Team members captured unexplained light anomalies and temperature fluctuations on their equipment.
Lead investigator Sarah Blackwood described the experience as “overwhelmingly active and intense.” The team recorded over forty separate anomalous events during their eight-hour investigation.
Local resident David Kumar walks his dog through the area nightly. He reports consistently hearing footsteps following him along the park’s eastern path.
Kumar has looked back numerous times but never sees anyone behind him. The footsteps cease immediately when he stops walking and resume when he continues.
In 2010, construction workers digging for utility lines discovered human remains. The bones were determined to be from the prison era burial ground.
Workers reported equipment malfunctions and an oppressive atmosphere during the excavation. Several crew members refused to continue work after experiencing unexplained phenomena.
Local Legends & Myths
One persistent legend involves the “Innocent Man’s Curse” supposedly placed by William Peterson. According to the story, anyone who mocks the dead near the site will experience misfortune.
Several teenagers who spray-painted graffiti near the fountain reported bad luck afterward. Their stories fueled belief in the curse among local youth.
Another legend speaks of unmarked graves beneath the shopping center’s foundation. Some believe at least a dozen bodies remain undiscovered under the buildings.
This legend gained credibility when the 2010 excavation uncovered unexpected remains. Officials acknowledged more bodies likely exist in the immediate area.
The “Midnight Execution” legend describes a hanging that occurs every night at midnight. Witnesses claim to hear the trapdoor drop and the snap of rope.
While no video evidence supports this claim, dozens of people report the sounds. The consistency of descriptions lends some credibility to the phenomenon.
Paranormal Investigations & Findings
The Utah Paranormal Investigation Team conducted extensive research here in 2016. They documented numerous class-A electronic voice phenomena and unexplained electromagnetic field spikes.
Their thermal imaging cameras captured human-shaped heat signatures where no living people stood. These figures appeared and disappeared without any logical explanation.
Ghost Adventures expressed interest in featuring the location in 2019. However, the investigation never materialized due to access and permission issues.
Local investigator groups regularly include the site in their research schedules. The consistently high level of reported activity makes it a priority location.
In 2014, psychic medium Rebecca Stone visited the location without prior knowledge. She immediately identified it as a place of suffering and described specific events.
Stone’s descriptions matched historical records of the 1903 riot and 1912 fire. She had no access to this information before her visit.
Safety Warnings & Legal Restrictions
The shopping center and park are public spaces but respect property boundaries. Trespassing on private business property after hours may result in police involvement.
The area is generally safe but use caution during late-night visits. Travel in groups and inform someone of your location and expected return time.
Some visitors report feeling physically ill or experiencing panic attacks near the site. If you feel unwell, leave the area immediately and seek fresh air.
The intense negative energy reported here may affect sensitive individuals. Those with anxiety or depression should consider carefully before visiting.
Do not dig or disturb the ground in any location. Unmarked graves remain in the area and disturbing them is illegal.
Respect the memory of those who died at this location. Avoid mocking or provoking spirits as some investigators believe this increases negative activity.
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