The original Ohio Penitentiary in Columbus, OH was described using a variety of friendly terms, ranging from the "inhumane" to the "primitive" to describe the conditions inside.

On April 21, 1930, the prison was housing 4,300 inmates -- almost triple its 1,500 capacity. A botched escape attempt and some poorly-timed construction led to one of the worst ever structural fires in the US, and the worst ever prison fire in the country.

Now the site of the popular Arena District in downtown Columbus, the Ohio Penitentiary will forever live on for its less-than-desirable reputation and the horrible fire that engulfed the building.

It could be worse -- today's iteration of the prison is known as the "Abu Ghraib of Ohio."