Stay Connected“Behind Gray Walls” is a podcast featuring stories from the men and women who lived and worked at the Old Idaho State Penitentiary. Each week, Anthony, Samuel, and Skye explore prisoners whose crimes led them to serve time at the “Old Pen.” Their history is explored in depth and compared to corrections topics faced in communities today.
To support this podcast, visit: https://history.idaho.gov/donate/donation-payment/
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In this Stool Pigeon Saturday Halloween Special, Samuel tells the dark story of the terrible chain of events in Idaho in 1928, following Ben Hamilton’s escape from an insane asylum just before Halloween.
In this live episode, recorded on March 27, 2025, at the Podfort stage at Boise Contemporary Theater during Treefort Music Festival, Anthony shares the story of Walter Lei (#7062 & #8174), a scrappy barroom brawler with a tragic connection to the Women’s Ward. Samuel breaks new ground for the podcast by telling the story from the victims’ perspective for the first time, that of Sterling Tucker and his mother, Laura Conway Tucker, a pioneering Idaho newspaper editor. Video of the episode is available on Spotify and YouTube. https://youtu.be/in4i3oTLvic
In our first episode back after a rather extended break, we’re ready to hit the ground running! First, Skye tells Anthony and Samuel about a woman whose tumultuous relationship leads to some unfortunate outcomes #8568 Zona McCollum (Assault with a Deadly Weapon), and then Samuel takes over to tell another classic Old West tale of a cowboy, stage robber, and escape artist #483 Charles Chambers (Robbery).
In this episode, Anthony, Samuel, and Skye are joined by the voices of the men and women who lived and worked at the prison to guide visitors through the site. Drawing from oral histories of wardens, chaplains, matrons, guards, and prisoners, this immersive tour brings the past to life as we lead you through the Old Idaho Penitentiary’s four-acre grounds.
In this rock-solid Stool Pigeon Saturday, Anthony and Samuel chip away at history with Old Pen staff member Eric Overzet, who quarries the fascinating story of the Old Pen's iconic building material - Table Rock’s sandstone.
On today’s Stool Pigeon Saturday, Anthony interviews Steve North, Old Idaho Penitentiary Volunteer and Commander of the Boise Chapter of the Forty and Eight. Steve dives into the captivating history of the Merci Train Boxcar, a symbol of gratitude from France to the United States after World War II. He shares insights about the enduring friendship between the two nations and the incredible stories of generosity and connection that emerged in the aftermath of war. For more information, pick up Boxcar Diplomacy by Jane Sweetland: https://store.history.idaho.gov/GiftShopItem.aspx?I=1526 Steve North's Captivating Conversation: https://youtu.be/kXa2hL_w9fw Jane Sweetland's Captivating Conversation: https://youtu.be/DhJmBsOO7y8 http://mercitrain.org/ https://www.fortyandeight.org Oral History: Truman, Harry S. "President Truman's Radio and Television Address Concluding a Program by the Citizens Food Committee." Delivered from the White House, Washington, D.C., October 5, 1947. National Archives Identifier (NAID) 325599790. News coverage clip provided by Jane Sweetland.
In our 99th episode (can you believe it?), Skye has an extra short story because Samuel has an extra long story! Starting with the shorter, Skye discusses a young woman whose early hard-knock life made it difficult to adjust to life as an adult #8451 Claire Reasoner (Forgery) and an Old West Yellowstone stagecoach robber whose exploits, he believed, made him the inspiration for the hero of the classic 1902 Western book, The Virginian #814 Edwin Trafton (Grand Larceny).
On today’s Stool Pigeon Saturday, Samuel interviews Kirsten Corbett, Exhibits & Communications Director at the Jackson Hole History Museum. Kirsten discusses the rich history of Jackson Hole and shares insights about the opening of the brand-new Jackson Hole Museum. She also provides fresh perspectives on subjects previously featured on the show, including Teton Jackson (#111) and Edwin Trafton (#814), and shares fascinating stories about some of the trailblazing women of Jackson Hole. To check out the Jackson Hole Museum: https://jacksonholehistory.org/ To learn more about the some of the Native American nations of the Tetons. https://www.sbtribes.com/about/ http://windriveredu.com https://easternshoshone.org/about/#:~:text=The%20Eastern%20Shoshone%20Tribe%20has,at%20over%2012%2C000%20years%20ago.
In this Stool Pigeon Saturday, Samuel and Skye interview author Jan Cerney about her 2016 book Calamity Jane and Her Siblings: The Saga of Lena and Elijah Canary, in which she uncovers the tumultuous Canary family relationships often overlooked in the Calamity canon. Pick up a copy in the Souvenir Confinement store at the Old Pen, or order online: https://store.history.idaho.gov/GiftShopItem.aspx?I=103
In this episode, Anthony shares the story of James Pickett (Murder), an Irishman whose possibly accidental killing led to his imprisonment in Idaho's oldest standing Territorial jail and ignited a debate over jurisdiction for crimes committed on tribal land, while Skye tells the story of Billy Garland #5127, a woman whose prison experience truly reflected the phrase "do your own time, do your own number" (Passing a Fictitious Check). Watch a presentation with John Bradbury about the history of Pierce: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V_Yp9uLTRXA
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