Tourists can now visit Truman Capote's black-and-white palace in Kansas

Truman Capote characterized the Kansas State Penitentiary in Lansing, Kan., as a "turreted black-and-white palace" with "a dark two-storied building shaped like a coffin," housing death row prisoners. The prison, where Capote interviewed murder convicts, is a fortress-like sandstone structure.

Timeless Influence

Capote’s portrayal of the prison draws in tourists and cemented his status as a literary celebrity, fueling the enduring fascination with the true crime genre.