In 1877, William Jordan Flake was arrested for unlawful plural marriage and served six months in the famous Yuma, Arizona Prison.
Flake lived the rest of his life in Snowflake, Arizona with his two wives and 20 children and was a rancher and community leader.
Flake is just a story visitors will learn as they explore the Yuma Territorial Prison, founded in 1875. Today the prison is an interesting museum that gives a real insight into the way of life of these prisoners. In the mid-1880s, more than 1,300 men were incarcerated in this prison under the laws of the Morrill Anti-Bigamy Act of 1862.
The prison was named a Colorado River Country Club because it had more modern facilities than most prisons and, in fact, more than most Yuma homes at the time. There was electricity, forced ventilation, more than 2,000 books in the library, sanitary facilities, two bathtubs and three showers, and a prison chapel. However, the heat made the prison extremely unbearable, so another nickname for it was the hellhole.
The prison has been restored and is part of a state historical park. Visitors take a self-guided tour of the grounds and learn about the history of the state, Yuma, the prison, and the prisoners. On average, it takes about two hours to walk around the grounds and read some information in the artifact room. Allow a little more time to learn about the history of the prison and those in custody. Before you tour the grounds, see the film as it contains facts about the men and women who spent their time here. It explains the construction of the prison and the dirty details of some of the inmates. Visitors gain an understanding of what they will see when they spend time in jail.
A visit provides an experience that gives insight into the Old West and what it was like to be locked in Yuma. In the artifact room, visitors can find many of the inmates’ personal stories, including that of Pearl Hart, the first woman to rob a stagecoach. It became a media sensation across the country. Also learn about prison medicine and the hospital.
The prison is easy to walk to as almost everything is on one level and is paved. The museum is air conditioned and there is a shop that sells some unique items. There are great views of the Colorado River as the prison is on a hill that overlooks it. Current opening times and information can be found at yumaprison.org.
More information about Yuma can be found at visityuma.com.
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