Missouri State Penitentiary Historical Tour
Time: Monday 9/16, 3:30-6:30 pm

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In Jefferson City there is a place where the ghosts of Pretty Boy Floyd, Sonny Liston or James Earl Ray lurk and the ghost of Emma Goldman dances.   Once known as the “Alcatraz of the Midwest", the original high-security Missouri State Penitentiary, opened in 1836, was home to infamous inmates, outrageous escape attempts, and the notorious Riot of 1954.  

No longer used as a prison, the Missouri State Penitentiary has become one of the hottest tourist destinies in the state. The tour brings to life the 175 year history of the prison and the United States penal system.   We will visit the Control Center (Unit 1) and A-Hall, the oldest original penitentiary building still standing.  We will also tour the Upper Yard, Housing Unit 3, and – for those with a macabre sense of adventure -- an optional visit to the old dungeon cells and gas chamber.  

You can visit www.MissouriPenTours.com for fascinating stories of the Missouri State Penitentiary and its former inmates.  You will see why many people wait months to get a space on the tour.

Why a prison tour for a recycling conference?   
  • The old penitentiary been recycled from a federal facility to an historical site.
  • Some of the old stone and concrete buildings were crushed to make the foundation for the nearby Missouri Department of Natural Resources’ Lewis and Clark building – the first LEED platinum government building in the US.
  • We will learn about some of the creative re-use and “upcycling” of objects devised by inmates at the first state prison west of the Mississippi.  
  • You can purchase souvenirs made by inmates from the new (and much improved) state penitentiary who are learning new skills through the Missouri Vocational Enterprises.  

About the tour
There is no additional charge to MORA conference attendees for this tour.  Buses will meet outside the Capitol Plaza Hotel at 3:30 p.m. on Monday.  Immediately following the tour, buses will carry attendees to a Ellis-Porter Riverside Pavilion to enjoy a welcome reception.

Tour preparation
  • Two hour walking tour.
  • Wear comfortable shoes.  No sandals/open toe.
  • If raining, bring an umbrella.  
  • Dress for the weather.  There is no heat or air conditioning in the prison.
  • Everyone must stay with the group at all times.  The exception is no one is ever forced to go somewhere they choose not to go such as the dungeon cells or the gas chamber.
  • Cameras are welcome.  No video or audio taping.
  • Nobody under the age of 10 is allowed on this tour.

Accessibility 
Since the property was built in 1836, this tour is not suitable for wheelchairs, crutches or walkers.  Many people have completed the tour with canes, and there are places to sit down along the tour route.  All attendees must sign a waiver and release of liability.  Forms will be available on the bus.

Lincoln University Tour: Sustainability in Action
Time: Tuesday 9/17, 2:00-5:00 pm

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If you never visited Lincoln University, you haven’t experienced this jewel in the heart of Missouri.  Take the Lincoln University tour to learn about the significant role this campus played in U.S. history, and glimpse the future of sustainable education in practice!  The tour will stop at artist Ed Dwight’s bronze monument to the men of the 62nd and 65th United States Colored Infantries who, along with their white commanding officer, founded Lincoln University in 1866 to educate freed African Americans. It is a powerful symbol of the determination and sacrifice of those visionary men.

Today Lincoln University is still breaking ground through innovative undergraduate and graduate programs in education, business, environmental science, and the social sciences.  Courses are  structured to accommodate working students as well as full time students, and the knowledge is shared with the community, the state, and even world through a Peace Corps master’s program.

The tour will include Lincoln University research into better composting methods and widespread applications. You will learn about edible mushroom production from paper waste and coffee grounds!  See current research comparing techniques and methods for aerobic composting, worm composting, and composting using inoculums (effective microbes).  

You will see the campus recycling and special event recycling developed by student groups in collaboration with the LU administration, and with support from the Mid Missouri Solid Waste Management District.

We will travel out to the university’s Busby Farm to see a large scale, in-vessel cafeteria waste composting operation. The farm also incorporates a solar heating system for winter worm composting, a green roof, an urban agriculture “green wall” vertical vegetable garden, and organic blueberry production. All agricultural projects use composts and mulches produced by the University.  Lincoln University knows that “waste” is a valuable resource!