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All the United States Maine Thomaston Maine State Prison Showroom

Maine State Prison Showroom

Trinkets and toys lovingly handmade by maximum security prisoners.

Thomaston, Maine

Added By
Molly McBride Jacobson
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“Neptune’s Ride.”   michelle/Atlas Obscura
The Maine State Prison Showroom.   michelle/Atlas Obscura
The Maine State Prison Showroom, open 9-5, 7 days a week.   michelle/Atlas Obscura
Detail of “Neptune’s Ride.”   michelle/Atlas Obscura
A description of “Neptune’s Ride.”   michelle/Atlas Obscura
Detail of “Neptune’s Ride,” note the intricate carving work.   michelle/Atlas Obscura
The Prison Showroom’s display window.   michelle/Atlas Obscura
Model ships for sale at the Prison Showroom.   michelle/Atlas Obscura
Birdhouses.   michelle/Atlas Obscura
Lobster traps.   michelle/Atlas Obscura
  andresbernal1982 / Atlas Obscura User
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Since the inception of Maine's prison system, inmates have been kept busy by craftwork. It began with the menial labor of constructing wooden wagons and later pressing license plates. Today, the prisoners of the Maine Department of Corrections showcase everything from dollhouses to lobster traps, all available at a reasonable price.

The inmates seem to enjoy creative control over their products. Though many of the crafts fit a mold (dozens of identical piggy banks and wooden lampshades), some of them are true works of art. There are artisanal puzzle boxes and impossibly intricate wooden ships, as well as many other maritime-themed objects. There are frosty woodland paintings of rustic cabins in wintertime. Showroom patrons are graced by the vision of "Neptune's Ride," a life-sized, shirtless sea god riding a Harley with a busty mermaid on the back, in the front window. 

A visit to the Maine State Prison Showroom offers a poignant bit of insight into the people on the inside. Inmates are all different kinds of folks who enjoy expressing themselves in various ways. They, like everyone else, need a creative outlet. 

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Prisons Art Shops

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Added By

Molly McBride Jacobson

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e1savage, andresbernal1982

  • e1savage
  • andresbernal1982

Published

November 7, 2016

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Maine State Prison Showroom
358 Main St.
Thomaston, Maine
United States
44.077558, -69.191503
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Photo of Maine

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