Much like frozen fingers and toes, the icicles of Cellblock 14 are an annual winter tradition at Eastern State. Why does this happen? Well, Cellblock 14 does not have a great roof. Quite the opposite, actually because the roof leaks. A lot. Water seeps through the poured concrete structure and drips onto the “body bars,” creating these long daggers of ice reaching for the floor. The temperature in here rarely gets above freezing all winter so they have plenty of time to grow. This space isn’t open to the public, but if you look down Cellblock 14 from the outside you can see the icicles.
- Francis X. Dolan, Associate Director for Tour Programs and Site Operations
