Opened in 1829, Eastern State Penitentiary quickly grew a reputation for a place you did not want to be. The idea was for prisoners to sit and think about what they did to end up there. Knowing that prisoners needed to have a watchful eye, the original plan for this new fear-inducing building included a central hub with 7 spoke-like cell blocks jutting out from the center. If guards stand in the center of the hub and simply turn, they could clearly see down each cell block.

Charles Williams was convicted of burglary and became Prisoner Number One when he was placed in Eastern State on October 25, 1829. The seven cell blocks that were planned were not even finished being built yet. By the time Cell Block Three was completed in 1831, it's clear that single story structures would not be enough to hold the rapidly increasing population. Plans for Cell Blocks Four, Five, Six and Seven are modified to be two-story structures.