Unblessed Ground
by Chris Berry
Title
Unblessed Ground
Artist
Chris Berry
Medium
Photograph - Digital Photograph
Description
The inmates call it Peckerwood Hill. The bodies of the inmates inside were refused by the family. Their graves are marked with small concrete blocks that contain a metal plate bearing only a number. The ground is unblessed. Within these gates lie the very worst of society, criminals. These are the cemetery gates at the United States Penitentiary in Leavenworth Kansas. The men were refused and unclaimed by family. Over 350 graves lie on a country hillside and cannot be seen, not even when peering through the gates. Cars fly by oblivious to the souls within.
My childhood was filled with stories about these men. My grandfather worked at USP for thirty years. I grew up within a mile of the compound and many times in my life I remember locking down the house because of an escape-the panic was instant as the sirens blared through the carefree country air. One always had to wonder...how much of a head start they had. Our land was covered in 24 acres of heavy woods and more than once, that's where they were found. I recall one time, they were captured in the ditch at the end of our driveway. USP is one of many prisons located in Leavenworth County. We have Lansing State Correctional Facility, a state prison, The USDB is the military prison and we have an all womens prison located out in the country. There are also half way houses for the newly released. It's just a way of life in Leavenworth.
Uploaded
January 8th, 2014
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