Nevada State Prison 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 was still designated as the site of executions for the State of Nevada, until the current execution chamber at Ely State Prison opened in 2016.
