The old Fort Madison prison was established in 1839, one year after Iowa became a territory, and seven years before it became a state in 1846.
Since August 1, when more than 500 of Iowa’s most dangerous offenders were moved into the new $166 million penitentiary, the old facility has housed some minimum security offenders. The grounds remain partially empty however, and the future of the "old fort" is unknown.
See photos of the new Fort Madison facility and listen to the River to River episode, "Inside Iowa's New Maximum Security Prison."