Thu
Feb 4 2010
08:10 pm
What? You've Never Been to Brushy?
By: mushy

Couldn't believe it, but wife, born and raised in Harriman, had never been to Petros to see the old Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary! So, on today, that gloriously gloomy day, we took a little road trip from the house up Bitter Creek way, and turned onto Coal Creek Road and went to Coalfield, Tennessee.

In Coalfield we turned back toward Wartburg, Tennessee on 62 and then off onto 116 to Petros. The prison sets against the farthest mountain you can see driving back through Petros and is still guarded, but there is no public access.

I talked to the guard and an old gentleman standing at the main gate for a bit. The guard said there were a few tours just after the prison was closed, but nothing was being allowed in at this time. I told them of my 70's visit,
when the prisoners had been moved to Nashville, and about

Geronimo, the whitetail buck that was once a pet of the inmates. The older fellow remembered the deer and we enjoyed reminiscing about that little known fact, and the guard added that there were currently about 6 deer living within the fences at Brushy.

Even though the light was not perfect for photography, it was a good day for a circuit through Roane and Morgan Counties. It seems we look for more and more things to get us out of the house lately. The weather has locked us away much too long. After all, there is just too much beauty in our East Tennessee backyard to stay in all winter!

More photos can be found by searching my photostream for "Brushy Mountain" from HERE.

Topics:

Brushy

Submitted by Ray Collett on February 4, 2010 - 10:21pm.

Great pictures Mushy !!!

I remember Brushy

Submitted by RICK on February 5, 2010 - 10:08am.

I remember Brushy in a different way. I worked at MCRCF from when it opened in 1980 until 1985. I was a supervisor for 3 of those years. So, I was on our "riot" team.
On one very cold winter night (I think it was in 83), we all got called in. The prisoners on D-block (the lock-up unit) at Brushy decided to destroy the place. It was in the low 30's and they had flooded the block. So, before we could go in, the power had to be cut.
We arrived at Brushy around 8 p.m. You could hear the yelling and screaming from the front gate.
There were four teams of six people that went one cell at a time, having to physically remove the inmate, empty everything from the cell, and carry the items to the end of the block to be searched. Some inmates cooperated. Many didn't.
We finished around 9 the next morning. It wasn't fun, and at times just a little frightening. The inmates were put back into their cells with nothing but a mattress to sleep on. As we drove away from the prison, we could still hear them raising and slamming their beds to the concrete floor. The beds were bolted to the wall back then.
So, some may think that being Correctional Officer is an easy job. Most times it is. But, when something happens, it happens quickly and dangerously. Does anyone remember the prison riots of 84? I do.

Wow...please post more memories...anyone! Intersting stuff.

Submitted by mushy on February 5, 2010 - 10:23am.

As a young boy I used to go inside with my dad to visit a family friend. In those days you could park right up next to the main building.

Mushy

Man

Submitted by UtilityBill on February 5, 2010 - 11:05am.

with the opening of the new facitility in Wartburg, this place is a history making place, when I was younger we played softball against the prisoners all ways made an interesting game.
But for the most part there were no troubles.

Drive by

Submitted by Mike on February 8, 2010 - 7:47am.

A friend and I were riding our motorcycles in the area one day (mid '90s)and decided to drive past. We went across the hill and stopped in a parking lot at a church (I think). We were there for about 5 minutes before gun shots rang out really close. We decided it was time to leave. That was the first and last time I was in the vicinity of the prison. Maybe I can drive by again now and take a closer look.

The lookout tower trail has a landslide

Submitted by WhitesCreek on February 8, 2010 - 3:05pm.

It is closed for now.

(link...)

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