Kennedy House Detention Centre

Word

About a year ago around this time, 5 of us set out on a UE to Base Edgar and the Kennedy House Detention Centre. We made it onto the radar base only to be chased off the grounds by a charging black truck only to tumble down a hill for literally 5 minutes. We got to Kennedy around dusk with some left over available light, only to find a massive pad lock on the shipping entrance where we were told to enter by fellow explorers & photographers.

Recently, A guard remains to patrol the empty, somber grounds & the chain link barb wired fence had been patched.

We returned lats night after nightfall. We pulled off the main road down a small dirt side road and pulled into the empty lot. Black. All you could see was black. You literally had to be close enough to see the massive detention centre otherwise everything else was swallowed by the pitch black that was night. Last time we were there, the sun was still up and it provided us with enough light to look around and check out the grounds. This time, Flashlights were a must or you would either get lost or walk into a wall.

We scouted the grounds first without our cameras and gear packs. The 3 of us made it around to the rear of the facility where the loading gates were. Large steal / chain linked gates topped with barb wire for security. A hole had been cut in the fence and fixed up. Only this time, someone had un-tangled it again. The hole is only small enough for one at a time. One by one we made it through. Upon returning to the loading bay door we noticed a boarded off entrance had a large hole in the side. We went through the hole to find a steel door with a smashed window. We climbed up the door and in through the window. We were now inside Kennedy House.

Immediately through the window was a flight of stairs up or down. We took the stairs down to what looked like a main kitchen of sorts followed by a steam room. Making our way through the kitchen we came to a set of double doors. We all agreed it was time to get our gear. We returned to the car and got our stuff. Back into the facility we went.

We explored almost the entire detention centre. Common rooms, A large empty chapel that was filled with darkness and overturned pews, a large crucifix on the wall and silence. It was so quiet, not even the wind was leaking in. Made it to the shower rooms, the dorms on more then 3 floors. What looked to be administrative areas, gyms, sub kitchens, prayer rooms and janitor closets. What was the most disturbing was the Solitary Cells. Each wing had a set of 6 solitary cells about 4 feet by 6 fee tin length. Each door had a lock on the wall next to it that would have triggered a magnetic strip that held the door securely in place. A window was installed into each door high enough for the young boys not to be able to see out of but for the guards to see in. Very disturbing.

I didn’t get many photos as we were more occupied with what was inside rather then composing great looking shots. 2 hours later we exited the building and made it back to our car. here are a few photos from the grounds.