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POPULAR “GHOST ADVENTURES” SHOW FILMED AT THE OLD IDAHO PENITENTIARY TO BE TELEVISED NATION-WIDE DECEMBER 5 ON THE TRAVEL CHANNEL

Quick Pitch

Travel Channel program to showcase a ghost hunt by paranormal investigators at the Old Pen in Boise on December 5.

Full Release

BOISE, ID (December 1, 2008) – The Old Idaho Penitentiary will be making a “ghostly” appearance this week on the Travel Channel’s “Ghost Adventures” program. The show, which follows three paranormal investigators in search of haunted locations both domestically and internationally, is scheduled to air on December 5, 2008 at 7 pm MDT (Channel 45 on Cable One).



“Working with the Travel Channel on a program like this not only provides great exposure for the state of Idaho but also showcases our historic sites, like the Old Idaho Penitentiary. It proves that history can be exciting and fun,” said Janet Gallimore, executive director of the Idaho State Historical Society.



As part of a series being filmed around the world, the Ghost Adventures producers became interested in filming at the Old Idaho Penitentiary after doing extensive research that indicated the facility might be haunted. The Ghost Adventures crew, consisting of Zak Bagans, Nick Groff and Aaron Goodwin, spent the night at the Old Idaho Penitentiary Thursday, October 2, in a 12-hour lockdown, from dusk until dawn. Their original plan was to spend time in 5 House, which contains the prison’s death row, the indoor gallows and maximum security confinement. One particular inmate piqued their interest: Raymond Snowden, also known as “Idaho’s Jack the Ripper.” It was their goal to seek his spirit during the lockdown.



“We don’t have any documented proof regarding the paranormal at the Old Idaho Penitentiary,” said Gallimore. “However, people have told stories for years about apparitions, spooky noises, and personal experiences here. It was a prison, and people died here. So there are opportunities for a variety of stories and strange incidents.”



***Editor’s Note***

For footage or photography requests, please contact Katelyn Balach at (301) 244-7522 or Katelyn.balach@travelchannel.com.



About the Old Idaho Penitentiary

The Idaho Territory was less than ten years old when construction began east of Boise on the territorial prison in 1870. The penitentiary grew from a single cellhouse into a complex of buildings surrounded by a high sandstone wall. Convicts quarried the stone from the nearby ridges and completed all the later construction.



Over its century of operation, the penitentiary received more than 13,000 convicts, of whom 215 were women. Spurred in part by conditions that sparked a general riot in 1971 and an even more severe riot in 1973, the inmate population was moved to a modern penitentiary south of Boise and the Old Idaho Penitentiary was closed on December 3, 1973. After its closure, the site was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.



The Old Idaho Penitentiary is open daily, year round, from noon to 5 pm, and in the summer (Memorial Day to Labor Day) from 10 am to 5 pm. It is closed for state holidays. Admission: adults, $5; seniors, $4; children (ages 6-12), $3; discounts are available for groups of ten or more.



The Old Idaho Penitentiary is located at 2445 Old Penitentiary Road in Boise off of Warm Springs. Call 208-334-2844 or e-mail for additional information or to schedule an interpretive program. Visit http://www.idahohistory.net/oldpen.html.



About the Idaho State Historical Society:

The Idaho State Historical Society (ISHS) is a state government agency with a goal of protecting the cultural heritage of Idaho by preserving historic and prehistoric resources and providing access to documents, artifacts, sites, and information of historic significance for the benefit and appreciation of the public. Dedicated to serving its statewide community, the agency carries out its mission through education programs, technical assistance, development of publications and exhibits, and by encouraging local, state and regional entities to preserve history. Learn more about ISHS at www.idahohistory.net.



About the Travel Channel:

Launched in February of 1987, the Travel Channel is the only television network devoted exclusively to travel entertainment. The Travel Channel is a dedicated and trusted window on the world, bringing knowledge, insight and information to a community of people who want to experience their world and satisfy their curiosity. Learn more about the Travel Channel at www.travelchannel.com.