Minnesota Correctional Facility - Stillwater

Built in 1914, the MCF-Stillwater is the state's largest close-security institution for adult male felons. The facility has seven living units inside and also has a minimum-security unit outside the main perimeter. 

The history of corrections in Stillwater dates back to 1853 when the Territorial Prison  (Minnesota was not yet a state) was built on the north side of the City of Stillwater. That facility operated until 1914 when it was closed and operations were moved to the new site south of Stillwater in what is today the Town of Bayport.

The role of MCF-Stillwater in the DOC is to provide offenders with educational, vocational and industrial programing opportunities during incarceration.

Educational programs include adult basic education, literacy, and general educational development (GED). Certificate programs include computer careers and higher education including degree programs. Vocational programs include carpentry, welding, machining, boiler operation, and electrician. 

Through MINNCOR Industries, inmates have the opportunity to work in subcontract assembly and packaging, canteen fulfillment, and warehousing/delivery services.

Stillwater also provides transitional life skills, behavioral change, and restorative justice programming.

The goal of all programming is to provide the opportunity for change in the inmates’ lives and the skills needed for a successful transition back into society.

MCF-Stillwater is also home to The Prison Mirror, the nation's oldest, continuously-operated inmate newspaper. Founded in 1887, The Prison Mirror has won many national awards for outstanding penal journalism.

Visiting - Stillwater: 

No information concerning an inmate’s visiting list will be given over the phone. Anyone wishing to have information will need to present picture ID at any MCF location.

• As a reminder to those who visit inmates who work in industry, due to the industry clean up and tool inventory protocols we are not able to alert them in industry after 2:40 p.m. Please plan your visits accordingly and show up earlier than this so we have the best chance of being able to page them in before we close for count. Inmates are allowed 16 visiting hours per month.
• There is no visiting on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays or State holidays.
• One or two hour visits are available on weekdays.
• All weekend visits and non-contact visits are one hour in length.
• Registration ends 45 minutes before the end of the visiting day which is 7 p.m. on weekdays and 5 p.m. on weekends.
• Contact visits may consist of up to four people (children of the age 2 and under will not count toward this number). Non contact visit may consist of up to two people (children of the age 2 and under will not count toward this number).

Hours of Visiting: 

Visiting Staff Contact: For general visiting information, call 651-748-7909. Please note that  MCF-Stillwater does not require an appointment for general non-contact visits or in-house restrictive housing visits. These visits are first come first serve with available space. If there are any questions regarding clothing, please call and ask. We do caution against any bra that isn't a spandex sports bra, button fly jeans, any clothing/hair or accessories that have metal of any type on them. Lockers are available in the Visiting lobby area to hold any items that cannot go into the Visiting Room at a cost of $0.25 per use.

All visiting applications must be sent to MCF-Rush City Attn: Visiting Unit, 7600 525th Street, Rush City, MN 55069.

Directions from the Twin Cities: From 94 East: Take Hwy I-94 (US-12 East to Exit #258 (Hwy 95 North). Go north to the city of Bayport. Turn left on 5th Ave North.Go two blocks to Hwy 28 (Pickett Street), and turn right. Follow Pickett Street for approximately 1/2 mile. The visitor's parking lot is on the right side of the road, with the main facility entrance further down on the left. From 36: Take Hwy 36 East to Hwy 95. Turn right onto Hwy 95 and follow south to the 1st stoplight 56th Street. Turn right on 56th Street and turn left onto Pickett Street N. The main entrance is on your right. Visitor's parking lot is further down the street on your left.

Visitors must park in the visitor's parking lot other than handicapped who may park in the lot right across from the main entrance in one of the designated handicap spots. The minimum security unit is on the same grounds and is the brick building (looks like an old school house) directly south of the main institution and west of the visitor parking lot.

Visiting Regulations: Please read the Inmate Visiting Information prior to visits.

There is no visiting on the following State recognized holidays:

• New Year's Day
• President's Day
• Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday
• Memorial Day
• July 4 (Independence Day)
• Labor Day
• Veterans Day
• Thanksgiving and the following Friday
• Christmas Day