Marshall County Inmates in State Penitentiary 1831-1870
The Tennessee State Penitentiary opened in 1831. It was located near downtown Nashville. Prior to 1831 the convicts were housed in the county jails. It was the suggestion of Governor McMinn to fund the construction of a state penitentiary by obtaining a bank loan. Construction started in 1830, and the facility opened January 1, 1831. Governor Carroll dedicated the new penitentiary. The new facility contained 200 cells, storehouse, hospital, and a few other buildings. Construction on a new building began in…