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David K
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The completion of a paved Hwy. 1 at the end of 1973 was the doom of the prison in paradise... No longer was isolation possible to warrant allowing the
prisoners to leave their cells every morning to work in town. A conch shell was blown in the evening about sundown calling them to return to their
cells where they had to spend the night.
The old road along Bahia Concepcion, carved out of rock, was said to have been built by the prisoners.
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David K
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Quote: Originally posted by BajaBlanca  | great to see an old Lindsay post - before I ever came to Baja, she was my boss at the school I taught at in La Jolla, California.....and toneart and
I taught at the same school in downtown San Diego even before I went to work with Lindsay .....talk about a small world!
I remember how Lindsay often went to Mulege and she would tell us stories about the town and especially the prison BEFORE I ever met Les and moved
here.
We now have a new travel goal because I have never been to that prison! |
Lindsay attended my Viva Baja parties... here she is at Viva Baja #4 in 2003...
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güéribo
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Cool detail, David. What was your source?
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David K
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If I find it again, I will let you know... seems to me it was in a book I read long ago. Maybe Erle Stanley Gardner's 'The Land of Shorter Shadows'?
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lindsay
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Hi Everyone...thanks for all your great posts on the museum and the prison's history and Blanca told me about the posts here so sorry for my delay in
writing...I need to visit the site more, it's been a while!!....so, my post from 2008 had some of the prison history that locals told us during our
work at the museum and I need to check with one of my museum friends about more of the history that's in Spanish. As mentioned in my 2008 post, the
majority of people who worked on the construction of the building were conscripted (forced) to work on the project as part of military service as well
as non-military laborers(but I need to confirm that detail). I know that a few people who worked on the museum project also recorded oral histories
with some older Mulege residents so I have to ask about where those recordings are now...thanks again for all the great posts and Osprey also enjoyed
reading your recent stories....always a great literary escape to Baja for me...muchos saludos desde San Diego :-)
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güéribo
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Lindsay! Glad you jumped in.
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güéribo
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From the book "Mexico's Diamond in the Rough" (1959):
"At Mulege is located the territorial prison...I carried a letter in Spanish from the sheriff of Pima County Arizona...he at once climbed on to our
running board and told me to follow his directions, which took us through several narrow streets, then a sharp right turn and up a steep climb to the
top of a high hill, with an excellent view of the entire town...on top of this hill was the prison, surrounded by a high wall with sentry boxes placed
on the corners.
We were allowed to go as far as the high iron doors, where we passed out cigarettes and candy to the inmates, totaling four, who were locked inside.
I bought, from one of them, a hat band he had made of braided horsehair. From the looks of the interior that we could see from the gate, the quarters
could not be called luxurious. The prisoners' blankets, which were all the bed they had, were rolled on the bare ground, and the place was far from
sanitary. Any other prisoners they might have were probably off in the town at some form of work, for it was our understanding that the honor system
was used here, and those who were in good grace were allowed to do work in the date groves and vegetable gardens close by, the only restrictions being
that they could not enter places where intoxicating liquors were sold, and they had to be back at the prison at a specified time each evening to
answer roll call. I could not help wonder how an escaped prisoner could go very far in this wasteland and survive, considering the great distance
between habitations and the frugal water supply..."
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Bob and Susan
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there's a man that lives next door to the prison that was a prisoner for 11 years...sometimes he give "the tour"
his story is amazing...he continues to live his life in mulege now
he was a musician and was allowed to play in town for "good behavior"
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güéribo
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soldier at Mulege prison, 1959
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David K
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Nice addition!!!
Thank you...
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güéribo
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You're welcome! Wish I could find more of these.
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güéribo
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New online article about the old Mulege prison:
http://www.bcsnoticias.mx/la-carcel-sin-puertas-de-mulege-un...
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