Castle: The Story of a Kentucky Prison

By Bill Cunningham

Book Overview

Castle, The Story of a Kentucky Prison chronicles the history of the Kentucky State Penitentiary at Eddyville, beginning with its construction over 100 years ago. It tells of murders, escapes, riots and executions which have occurred in the medieval-like fortress, sitting high above the Cumberland River in Lyon County. The centerpiece of the book is the daring Tex Walters shoot-out of 1923 when inmate Walters and two confederates shot and killed three prison guards, wounded a fourth, and barricaded themselves in the dining hall for four days. The National Guard was called in and the siege garnered nationwide attention as the suspenseful stand-off unfolded. Lillian Walters, wife of the rebel convict, was then tried in a dramatic court room battle for her gun-smuggling role in the uprising.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0998405132
• ISBN13: 9780998405131
• Release Date: May 2023
• Publisher: Cunningham Books
• Length: 258 Pages
• Weight: 0.77 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Present guard's sister-in-law gives this rivoting historical read two thumbs up!

I learned of this book through my brother-in-law, presently a guard at the Ky State Pen in Eddyville (aka: The Castle on the Hill). Bill Cunningham is an amazing historian that has consistently recounted some of the most fascinating events in Western Ky history. I have previously read "On Bended Knees: The Night Rider Story," by Mr. Cunningham and was captivated by his accounts and writing style. In "Castle: The Story of a Kentucky Prison," he has once again delivered! This was an amazing book that I just could not put down once I had started reading. Being a girl from Princeton, Ky (12 miles away from Eddyville) I was no stranger to the site of the prison where my brother-in-law is working (going on his 6th year as a guard). The pen is an awe inspiring structure filled with mystery, misery and ghastly tales. Mr. Cunningham brings to life the most historic and fascinating of those tales. This book is a must read for any and all inhabitants of Western Ky and those with a special interest in the penal institutions of today.

Kentuckian finds Eddyville history riveting

To be short and sweet.this book is a great read and you can visualize the characters and settings thru skillful character and setting developement by a son of a Eddyville Prison Guard.Highly recommended for all,even if not interested in the American Penal System

A terrific book.

"Castle, The Story of a Kentucky Prison" details the story of the Kentucky State Penitentiary, located at Eddyville, Kentucky. The author, Bill Cunningham is familar with the institution, having defended the inmates who are incarcerated there as a defense attorney, prosecuted them as prosecuting attorney, and ordered them to be commited there as a criminal court judge. The book itself is centered around the riot of 1923, which at the time was one of the most notorious prison uprisings in American history. The author is a terrific storyteller; if the book was a movie, it would be a classic directed by Stanley Kubrick, the way in which the story goes back and forth, side to side, yet stays very much together. This book will appeal to a wide variety of people, not just academics in criminal justice, as books on this subject usually do.