Georgia was one of the first southern states to build a penitentiary to confine criminals. In , when the city of Milledgeville was chosen to replace Louisville as the capital of Georgia, a square of sixteen acres was set aside for a penitentiary. Under Governor David B. Mitchell ; , the penitentiary finally came to fruition. Construction on the facility began in and was completed in December Both the architect and the contractor resided in Milledgeville.
The penitentiary occupied only a small portion of the square because two academies and the county courthouse shared the site as well. The first prisoner was received in March During the early nineteenth century Georgians came to believe that criminals could be reformed if they were confined in a penitentiary. It was believed that criminals should be removed from all association with society so that they would be able to contemplate their actions and repent. The penitentiary was governed by a board of inspectors.
The board, composed of nine men who were appointed each year by the General Assembly, was responsible for appointing a principal keeper, a turnkey, and one deputy for every ten convicts. The turnkey was in charge of locking and unlocking doors when inmates were put in and out of cells. Two members of the board were required to visit the penitentiary twice a week. Food for the inmates consisted of bread, Indian meal, and a daily ration of meat such as pork.
No liquor was allowed. The original regulations required that prisoners work every day except Sunday for eight to ten hours. Male prisoners engaged in many types of industry while they were incarcerated. Some of these occupations included tailor, blacksmith, wagon and cart maker, cabinetmaker, shoemaker, glassmaker, and saddle and harness maker.
Throughout the history of the institution there were relatively few female prisoners. Original legislation for the penitentiary called for a separate wing for women.
