This is the story of the life of the United States Disciplinary Barracks at Fort Leavenworth military prison called The Castle.

This is the story of a magnificent structure built by the inmates, brick by brick—some 6.5 million of them, Who quarried the stone and built the walls surrounding the prison,

of the inmate who designed the keys for the cells,…



the escapee, who is still at large and who sends Christmas Cards each year……no return address!

… of the great escapes, a few successful, all but one recaptured.

This picture is NOT one of the successful ones….note the guard tower at the top of the ladder!









This is the story of the inmates themselves, who were incarcerated here and some who returned to military service and to productive lives upon release.

Some experienced unimaginable horror while at the Castle:

Punishment from Shackles in the early days

Whiling away the time by carving a cross with their fingernails in the wall of the holding cell just prior to hanging.

The gallows complete thirteen steps

The ‘Hole' or the destitution of Solitary

This is the story of men and women who guarded inmates, of the officers and non-commissioned officers that managed the Castle, and of the civil service specialists who, working with the Commnand, gave the opportunity for inmates to return to society as productive, law-abiding citizens.

It is about the demolition of this 100-year-old awesome monument known as the Castle

From its proud Structure which stood for 100 years

Feeling the brunt of the first swings 6,000 lb ball of the 210 foot crane

The Rotunda dome resisting man and machine to stay aloft. It fell on its own fruition at the end of a day

To the final wall standing alone before being reduced to rubble.

The Castle was born on 12 acres of grass, today the 12 acres has been returned to grass. The Castle is gone but the Old USDB remains, the ghosts, however, will remain forever.

Illustrations by Inga Vereshcagina