En esta noticia
Minnesota is moving ahead with the permanent closure of Minnesota Correctional Facility-Stillwater (MCF-Stillwater), a prison built in 1853 that once held 1,529 people in custody.
The Department of Corrections (DOC) set a timeline to complete the closure by June 30, 2029, with gradual transfers and a reorganization of workers.
The measure was set out in HF2432, signed into law by Gov. Tim Walz on May 23, 2025. The closure does not include early releases or changes to inmates’ sentences.
How many inmates the historic prison once held
Stillwater’s prison history began in 1853, when it operated as a territorial prison. Between 1910 and 1914, officials moved operations to a new facility in Bayport, where the current institution remains.
According to the Minnesota Historical Society, the jail had 1,529 inmates on Jan. 1, 2020, about one-sixth of the state’s entire prison population.
Over its history, it also endured riots, protests and overcrowding problems. Evaluations carried out in 2018 and 2019 by the American Correctional Association found that it did not have enough space in shared cells, common areas or adequate sanitary facilities.
Why the prison will close
The main reason is the cost of maintaining infrastructure more than a century old. According to official estimates, the needed repairs would cost about $180 million, while replacing the facility would top $1.3 billion.
When announcing the decision, Walz warned that the maintenance needed to keep the facility running was becoming “unsustainable”.
As a result, the closure will save the state about $40 million a year in operating costs.
When the prison will close for good
The Department of Corrections set a four-year timeline. The first phase began in 2025, with a reduction in the prison population and a reorganization of staff:
- By September 2025, officials aimed to cut the inmate population by about 50%: about half of the original population had already been transferred to nine other Minnesota men’s prisons. And almost all affected employees were reassigned to other facilities, according to the DOC.
- By November of this year, Commissioner Paul Schnell confirmed the facility was already in the first phase of the closure.
- The next phase will begin in July 2027, when the complete clearing of the facility will start.
- The deadline to end operations is June 30, 2029.
What will happen to the historic building when the prison closes
The future of the site is still under review. Officials have ordered a study to determine what to do with the complex, which covers about 107 acres (43 hectares) and includes 56 buildings. Part of the property includes a historic building listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
Options under review include selling the facility, pursuing a redevelopment plan with state involvement, or removing certain structures to prepare the site for other projects.