Eastern State Penitentiary: Once the World's Most Famous Prison

When it opened in 1829, Eastern State was one of the most expensive buildings in America and the first true "penitentiary" — designed for reform through solitary confinement. Al Capone did time here; a 1929 newspaper described his cell as lavishly furnished, though the prison's later research suggests his stay was closer to an average inmate's. The prison is now a crumbling ruin open for tours, and its annual Halloween event, now called "Halloween Nights," is one of the nation's top haunted attractions.