Johnson’s Island, located in Sandusky Bay, Lake Erie was chosen as the site for the Union depot of captured Confederate officers in late 1861. 

Johnson’s Island, approximately 3 miles from Sandusky, was determined to be conveniently accessible for supplies needed for construction and maintenance of the prison and its population. It was also considered more easily protected than other islands in the open lake. The island could be leased for $500 a year with the government having control over who had access to the island. Because of these advantageous factors, the Federal Government built a prison designed to hold 2,500 prisoners on the island. (For more information on the camp history, click here.)