Meriwether County Correctional Facility

"The Prison" is a significant setting established within The Walking Dead series. It is a location the majority of the main cast of characters settle themselves in, and most of the character and continuity's story-arc's were formed. It was also the longest lasting location the survivors remained in, beginning with their arrival in Issue 13, right up the the climatic and tragic destruction by The Governor and his Woodbury Army in Issue 48.

Simply referred to by the survivors as, "The Prison", it was found by Dale and Andrea after the group left Hershel's farm. The Prison boasted three solid walls surrounding the entire penitentiary, as well as having it's back to a hill and only one main dirt road leading to the entrance. Starving and desperate, the group quickly summarized that it being in a relatively isolated area, and without any other potential safe places to go, it was the most viable option to at least stay safe for the night. The decision was quickly made to search and secure the penitentiary.

After the initial clearings of the zombies inside, Rick Grimes and Tyreese found four inmates that had been living in the (locked) cafeteria since the outbreak; Axel, Thomas, Andrew and Dexter. Even with this risk, Rick deems it worth it the entire group should settle in, and make it their new home. Tensions soon rise between the inmates and the survivors while Rick is primarily busy dealing with the proper settling of their new haven, the witnessing of the end result of a suicide pact between Chris and Julie, and his subsequent discovery that anyone who dies of any cause (short of damage to the brain) comes back as a zombie.

It soon becomes apparent the survivors and the convicts cannot co-exist, as Rachel and Susie Greene's bodies are soon found, decapitated. Dexter is wrongly accused, but after an attempted murder on Andrea's life, Thomas is found to be the culprit. He is brutally beaten by a overwhelmed Rick, before a distraught Maggie Greene later shoots him to death.

Dexter does not take kindly to the false accusations, and concludes that co-operating with Rick's group was wrong. He organizes Andrew to sneak into A Block, the building containing the guard's riot gear and weapons, to help take back The Prison. After confronting Rick with shotguns and a defecting Patricia, a standoff ensues that is only prevented because of the zombies escaping from A Block. While temporarily working together to hold the wave back, Rick makes the hard decision to kill Dexter "in the cross-fire", as he knew the convict would have killed or kicked them out afterwards. Andrew relives his weapons but flees in distraught, never to be seen again by the group. Michonne and Otis join the group soon after.

In between the bloodshed and drama, several sub-plots develop. Carol and Tyreese's relationship is challenged after the mysterious Michonne joins the group. Maggie and Glenn struggle through the loss of more of her family and her father's strictness of their intimacy. Patricia is isolated and attacked by Otis after her temporary defection with Andrew and Dexter. Allen slowly begins to come out of his shell following Donna's death in Wiltshire Estates. Dale and Andrea discuss the possibility of splitting off and finding somewhere safer and quieter. Lori's pregnancy advances rapidly, and she is strained by Rick's constant leave.

Eventually, significant conflict within the group arises when Tyreese finds himself giving in to Michonne's sexual advances. Carol witnesses their actions and is evidently hysterical and upset, causing her to slit her wrists. Rick finds out and confronts Tyreese. The pair's strong friendship is temporarily broken when their argument ends up in a brutal beating, leading to a schism between the group and their opinion on Rick's leadership.

The exact area of "The Prison" like most other places the survivors visit is ambiguous, but judging by their lengthy travel from their original campsite, the conversations between The Governor and Gabe, and the appearance of the crashing helicopter containing survivors from Atlanta, it is most likely located miles away in the surrounding and sprawling countryside of Atlanta.

Deaths
Thomas

Dexter

Rachel

Susie Greene

Allen