Old hoosegow has ’em wowed
Yuma Territorial Prison historical park named a top world attraction by Tripadvisor
The Yuma Territorial Prison State Historic Park is one of the world’s top attractions, according to Tripadvisor.
The online travel company has named the historic park a 2020 Travelers’ Choice Winner, a title bestowed on attractions considered to be in the top 10% of attractions worldwide.
Tripadvisor explained that each year it combs through reviews, ratings and saves from travelers across the world and uses that information to award the “very best.”
“You’re part of an exclusive group, and we want to help you celebrate (and promote) this major accomplishment,” the company told the park.
“This is our first time the Yuma Territorial Prison, 220 Prison Hill Road, receives this award,” said Sarah Halligan, a communications specialist with the Yuma Crossing National Heritage Area, which oversees the park. “This win is a major award for us, especially during these times as attendance is very low. With travel and tourism down due to COVID, we feel that this award will allow people the opportunity to plan to visit us in the near future,” she said.
Halligan credits the staff for the honor. “This award speaks very highly of our staff at the Yuma Territorial Prison. A lot of the reviews that we receive on Tripadvisor are always so kind and positive, from sharing that our staff is very friendly and helpful along with the facilities being so clean and taken care of. We love hearing our guests feel that way, as a lot of hard work goes into maintaining the historical museum and keeping Yuma’s rich history alive.”
Several factors contribute to the park being named a top world attraction. “What makes the Yuma Territorial Prison one of the world’s best attractions is the opportunity to actually walk through
the cell blocks that were built by the prisoners themselves. It allows the visitor to truly get a feeling of what the living conditions were like. It is a unique experience that not many places have,” Halligan noted.
The historic prison is waiting to hear whether it will hold on to its title as being the Most Haunted Destination in the nation. USA Today will announce the winners of this contest Sept. 4.
The prison won the No. 1 spot last year, and readers nominated it again this year. USA Today’s 10Best contest website asked people to vote for their favorite haunted spot in the nation. Voting ended Monday.
USA Today explained that the historic prison has long had a reputation as a “hub of paranormal activity,” with stories of the “spirits of inmates on death row, a woman wandering the banks of the nearby Colorado River looking for her drowned daughter and a small child in a red dress who pinches passersby.”
From 1876 to 1909, the prison housed 3,069 men and women convicted of crimes in the Arizona Territory. Once the prison closed down, it became the temporary home of Yuma High School, leading to the adoption of the “Criminal” mascot.
Through September, park hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. It’s closed Tuesday and Wednesday. Masks are required when visiting the ranger stations, restrooms, stores or historic buildings. Masks are also required while outside if social distancing cannot be maintained.
The cost is $8 for adults, $4 for children ages 7 to 13, and free for children 6 and under.
For more information, visit www.yumaprison.org or call 928-783-4771.
“What makes the Yuma Territorial Prison one of the world’s best attractions is the opportunity to actually walk through the cell blocks that were built by the prisoners themselves.”
Sarah Halligan, communications specialist with the Yuma Crossing National Heritage Area