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Eastern State Tells Tales Of Romance Behind The Walls

By Paul Kurtz

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - As couples make their Valentines Day plans, Eastern State Penitentiary in Fairmount is preparing to regale visitors with tales of romance behind prison walls.

The folks who've created a reputation for putting together the ultimate Halloween house of horrors are now flinging hearts and flowers.

"This is our second year of celebrating Valentines Day at Eastern State Penitentiary."

Eastern State's Sean Kelly says it may sound like a stretch but the notorious prison that once held such hardened criminals as Al Capone also had a soft side.

"We'll talk about some of the inmates and how they kept connections with their loved ones on the outside of the building. We have a woman inmate who fell in love with a man here, another inmate. Even the warden, Robert McKenty, who married the only female employee in 1920."

The tour runs February 14th-17th.

 

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