Deer Island House of Correction, Hill Prison, Deer Island (northeast & northwest quadrants), Boston, Suffolk County, MA

Significance: Architecturally, Hill Prison is the culmination of the Palladian form of penal institutions utilized in Boston for over one hundred years. It is the final stage in the evolution of institutional designs with central core pavilion and flanking wings. Although the Hill (Women's) Prison has traditional form and materials, the details of the structure reveal several structural and technological advances. The Hill Prison, described at the time of its construction as "a model of its kind," represents an attempt to modernize a traditional form to meet twentieth century standards. Socially, Hill Prison incorporated modernized reform programs with provision of separate facilities relevant to the needs of women inmates; they were ministered to by chaplains and teachers who provided rehabilitation and education rather than mere incarceration.
Survey number: HABS MA-1250-A