An historic state prison in Morgan County will have new life soon, but in a different fashion. Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary was established in 1896 in the aftermath of the Coal Creek War and operated until 2009 when its operations were transferred to the Morgan County Correctional Complex. The prison held high-profile inmates such as James Earl Ray and Byron Looper. Now, Brushy Mountain Development will use the former prison as an attraction, featuring prison tours and a distillery, starting late next month or early June.