Tours of the historic Missouri State Penitentiary have been put on hold.
Missouri State Penitentiary was once the largest prison in the state, with more than 5,200 inmates in the 1930s. (Photo courtesy: Missouri Division of Tourism)
A statement from the Jefferson City Convention and Visitors Bureau says the “property owners are assessing some site issues.” The prison is owned by the state and overseen by the Office of Administration.
Tours scheduled through Wednesday have been cancelled and guests will be contacted for a refund or voucher for a future tour. The statement says that date could change.
The Penitentiary was the oldest operating prison west of the Mississippi when it closed nine years ago. Last year more than 19,000 people took one of the Bureau’s tours of the site.
