# The Prison Mirror *Newspaper published by incarcerated people at the Minnesota state prison in Stillwater since 1887.* *The Prison Mirror* is a newspaper published by people incarcerated at the state prison in [[Stillwater]], [[Minnesota]]. It has been published since 1887.[^1] The record's at-issue entry, anchored to the Minnesota Department of Corrections' Stillwater facility page, describes it as the oldest continuously printed prison newspaper in the United States.[^1] The [[Minnesota Historical Society]] lists *The Prison Mirror* for the years 1887 to 1993 among its record series for the Minnesota State Prison, Stillwater.[^2] The territorial legislature established that prison in February 1851, and it began receiving inmates in 1854.[^2] ## Who The newspaper is written and published by incarcerated people at the Stillwater prison. That has been true since its first year, 1887.[^1] ## What *The Prison Mirror* is a prison newspaper.[^1] The Historical Society holds it as a record series dated 1887–1993. Its prison holdings also include Convict Registers for 1854–1902.[^2] The Historical Society's series ends in 1993. The at-issue entry describes the paper as continuously printed. The pack does not reconcile the two.[^1][^2] ## When - February 1851: the territorial legislature established the Minnesota State Prison by act.[^2] - 1854: the prison began receiving inmates.[^2] - 1887: *The Prison Mirror* began publication.[^1][^2] - 1901: governance of the prison passed from the warden and Board of Inspectors to the State Board of Control.[^2] - 1912: the new prison opened on a 160-acre site two miles south.[^2] - 1959: governance passed to the Department of Corrections.[^2] ## Where The newspaper is published at the state prison in Stillwater.[^1] The Historical Society places the 1912 prison on a 160-acre site two miles south.[^2] ## In the at-issue record One at-issue entry in the record concerns the newspaper (AI-Washington-060, section *The Referral Architecture & the County That Got the Prison Edition*). It lists the newspaper's founding year as 1887.[^1] The entry says the paper has outlasted "the twine plant, the contract-labor regime, thirteen wardens in the original warden's house". The original house is the [[Warden's House]].[^1] The entry adds that the paper will have outlasted the prison itself by 2029.[^1] The entry gives the Department of Corrections facility page as its primary anchor. The entry says that page records both facts. Its supporting sources are the Historical Society's archive and history pages.[^1][^2] The pack does not provide a separate source for the 2029 date. ## Notes [^1]: Minnesota Department of Corrections, *Stillwater* facility page (undated) — primary anchor of at-issue entry AI-Washington-060: *The Prison Mirror* published by incarcerated people since 1887; described as the oldest continuously printed prison newspaper in the United States. https://mn.gov/doc/facilities/stillwater/ [^2]: Minnesota Historical Society, *Minnesota State Prison, Stillwater* (research guide, undated) — establishment by territorial act in February 1851; first inmates 1854; governance chain from warden and Board of Inspectors to the 1901 State Board of Control and the 1959 Department of Corrections; new prison on a 160-acre site opened 1912; record series including Convict Registers 1854–1902 and *The Prison Mirror* 1887–1993. https://libguides.mnhs.org/prison/stillwater