Detroit House of Correction

The Detroit House of Correction (DeHoCo), opened in 1861, was owned and operated by the City of Detroit but initially accepted prisoners from across the state, including women. It was the first state-operated prison for female felons. The state later renovated the women’s division into the new Phoenix facility. In 1986, the Detroit House of Correction was transferred to state control, renamed the Western Wayne Correctional Facility, and functioned as a women’s prison for the remainder of its operation. It closed in December 2004, and all inmates and staff were transferred to the Women's Huron Valley Correctional Facility in Ypsilanti.