Nevada State Prison
1999 aerial photo of the prison
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| Location | 3301 E. 5th Street Carson City, Nevada 89702 |
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| Coordinates | 39°09′37″N 119°44′15″W / 39.16028°N 119.73750°W |
| Status | Closed |
| Security class | High |
| Capacity | 841 |
| Population | 219 (as of September 2011) |
| Opened | 1862 |
| Closed | 2012 |
| Managed by | Nevada Department of Corrections |
| Warden | Gregory Smith |
Coordinates: 39°09′37″N 119°44′15″W / 39.16028°N 119.73750°W
Nevada State Prison (NSP) is a penitentiary located in Carson City. The prison was in continuous operation since its establishment in 1862 and was managed by the Nevada Department of Corrections. It was one of the oldest prisons still operating in the United States- The high security facility housed 219 inmates in September 2011. It was designed to hold 841 inmates and employs a staff of 211.
In the early 20th century, the prison became the sole designated facility for executions by the state of Nevada. It carried out the first death sentence by gas chamber in the United States with the execution of Gee Jon on February 8, 1924. The state of Nevada chose to close the facility for budgetary reasons.
The prison closed its doors on May 18, 2012, with all inmates transferred or released on early out.
Even though the prison has closed, it is still designated as the site of executions for the State of Nevada.
The prison was established in 1862 by the Nevada Territorial Legislature at the site of the Warm Springs Hotel, located east of Carson City in Nevada Territory. The legislature had been leasing the hotel from Abraham Curry and using the prison quarry to provide stone material for the Nevada State Capitol. In 1864, the territorial legislature acquired the hotel along with 20 acres (8.1 ha) of land from Curry, who was appointed the first warden of the prison. In October of that year, Nevada became a state and the newly written constitution established that the Lieutenant Governor of Nevada also functioned as the ex-officio warden of the prison. The Governor, Secretary of State, and Attorney General comprise the board of prison commissioners.
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