Prairie Correctional Facility

Prairie Correctional Facility

445 South Munsterman Street
Appleton, MN 56208
320-289-2052
Fax: 320-289-2059 Career Information Line: 866-628-9477

Facility Public Information Officer: Bobbi Jo Roscoe

Facility Type: Male, medium-security, Owned since 1996

Warden: Timothy Wengler

Timothy Wengler Timothy Wengler has been promoted to Warden at CCA's Prairie Correctional Facility. He joined CCA in 1996 and has worked his way up the ranks from shift supervisor, unit manager, assistant chief of security, chief of security and assistant warden. Prior to his CCA career, Wengler worked as a correctional and senior correctional officer at Prairie Correctional Facility. He also served in the Air Force for six years.

Total beds: 1600

Customer base:

States of Minnesota and Washington

ACA Accreditation: Yes

Appleton is geographically located in western Minnesota approximately 150 miles due west of Minneapolis/St. Paul, 150 miles northeast of Sioux Falls, South Dakota and 150 miles southeast of Fargo, North Dakota. Appleton is in the heart of prime western Minnesota farm land and hunting grounds and is at the southern edge of the Western Lakes Region of Minnesota. Appleton is bordered by the Lac Qui Parle State Wildlife Refuge and the Big Stone National Wildlife Refuge. Both offer some of the state's best waterfowl, big game and upland game hunting grounds. The two refuges include two large lakes: Lac Qui Parle and Big Stone Lakes, which offer excellent fishing opportunities. Appleton also has a golf course, municipal campground and swimming pool, nature park, tennis courts, basketball courts, parks and picnic area, and baseball/softball fields. Local festivities include Applefest and the Swift County Fair.

Community Relations:

Bob Thompson, Al Johnson, Tim Dittes, Jim Rittenour, Jim Massee, Leslie Ehrenberg, David Fust, Gary Hendrickx, Dawn Heglund, Jason Picht, Scott Mattison, Doug Moe, Robin Finke, Bob Munsterman, Greg Peterson, Brian Wojtalewicz, Jim Vaala, Chuck Vien, Jason Heinecke

Community Activities:

Meals on Wheels, Appleton Chamber of Commerce, Habitat for Humanity, Swift County Fair, Adopt-A-Highway, Red Cross Blood Drive, Applefest

Programs Offered:

FAITH-BASED--Prisoner's of Hope, Prison Congregation of America SUBSTANCE ABUSE--Alcohol and Other Drugs of Addiction (AODA) EDUCATIONAL--Adult Basic Education (ABE), General Education Development (GED), English as a Second Language VOCATIONAL--Woodshop, Wheels of Learning, Commercial Cleaning Prairie Correctional Facility also offers a horticulture course that teaches inmates skills and knowledge in gardening, landscaping, lawn care, and floral shop. This class has a partnership with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife to grow native grasses and wild flowers. The seeds are harvested and replanted in natural wildlife areas. THINKING FOR A CHANGE--An integrated cognitive behavior change program. CRIMINAL CONDUCT AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT--Educational based drug and alcohol program. ANGER MANAGEMENT--A program set up to help control one's anger issues. PROTECT TOMORROW--Awareness program for at-risk juveniles taught by inmates. TOAST MASTERS--A public speaking class.

Visitation Schedule:

  1. Visiting hours are: Sunday 8 a.m. – 12 p.m. and 1p.m. – 5 p.m. Monday 8 a.m. – 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. - 5 p.m. Tuesday No visitation Wednesday No visitation Thursday No visitation Friday 8 a.m. – 12 p.m. and 1p.m. – 5 p.m.
    Saturday 8 a.m. – 12 p.m. and 1p.m. – 5 p.m. Visitors will not be allowed into the facility between the hours of 10:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. and 1:45 p.m. - 2:15 p.m. and 3:45 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Visitors will be allowed to visit for one (1) session per day. All visitors must depart the facility between sessions. Visitors, who reside outside of a 300 mile radius of Appleton, may be allowed to visit for both sessions. Those visitors may submit a request for an extended visit to visit both sessions to the Chief of Security a minimum of 7 days and no more than 15 days in advance of the visit. All visitors must depart the facility between sessions. In each calendar year, CCA recognizes the following holidays:
  2. New Year's Day
  3. Martin Luther King Day
  4. Presidents' Day
  5. Memorial Day
  6. Independence Day
  7. Labor Day
  8. Veterans Day
  9. Thanksgiving Day
  10. Christmas Day Holiday visitation schedule: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. 1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Visitation privileges may be restricted if institutional emergencies occur. The facility's visiting area is handicapped accessible. Designated handicapped parking is available at the facility's front entrance.

Tour Contact: Jennifer Lund, warden's secretary [320-289-2052, ext 2205]

Directions:

CCA/Prairie Correctional Facility is located at 445 South Munsterman Street in Appleton, Minnesota. Appleton is located on State Highway 7, approximately 150 miles west of Minneapolis, and Prairie Correctional Facility is one mile south of Appleton on Hwy 119. Minneapolis Airport has several car rental agencies. Prairie Five Rides is a local bus service that provides transportation from the City of Appleton to the institution (approximately one mile). Visitors may contact Heartland Express at 1-500-276-3618.

FROM ST. CLOUD Start out going SOUTH on COURTHOUSE SQ toward 1ST ST N. Stay STRAIGHT to go onto 8TH AVE N. Turn SLIGHT RIGHT onto 2ND ST S / MN-23 W. Continue to follow MN-23 W. Turn LEFT onto MN-15 S / MN-23 E. Turn RIGHT onto 2ND ST S / MN-23 W. Continue to follow MN-23 W. Take the US-12 ramp. Turn RIGHT onto US-12 W / 1ST AVE E. Continue to follow US-12 W. Turn LEFT onto MN-40. Turn RIGHT onto US-59 / MN-7. Turn SHARP LEFT onto S MUNSTERMAN ST / MN-119. End at 445 S Munsterman St Appleton, MN 56208-2608, US Total Est. Time: 2 hours, 36 minutes Total Est. Distance: 113.47 miles

FROM MINNEAPOLIS Merge onto I-494 W via EXIT 9B. Take the US-12 W exit- EXIT 19B- toward WAYZATA. Take the CARLSON PKWY exit on the LEFT toward LINNER RD. Merge onto US-12 W via the exit on the LEFT toward WAYZATA. Turn SLIGHT RIGHT onto US-12 / BABCOCK BLVD W. Continue to follow US-12. Turn RIGHT onto US-12 / SIBLEY AVE N / MN-22. Continue to follow US-12 W. Turn LEFT onto 14TH ST N / US-12 / MN-29. Continue to follow 14TH ST N / US-12. Turn RIGHT onto MINNESOTA AVE / US-12. Continue to follow US-12. Turn LEFT onto MN-40 HWY 40 (out of Willmar) Turn RIGHT onto US-59 / MN-7 (out of Milan) Turn SHARP LEFT onto S MUNSTERMAN ST / MN-119. End at 445 S Munsterman St Appleton, MN 56208-2608, US

FROM SIOUX FALLS Start out going SOUTH on N CHICAGO AVE toward E AUSTIN ST. Turn LEFT onto E 8TH ST Turn RIGHT onto N ST PAUL AVE. Turn LEFT onto SD-42 / E 10TH ST. Merge onto I-229 N via the ramp on the LEFT. Merge onto I-90 W via EXIT 10B. Merge onto I-29 N via EXIT 396B. Take the SD-15 / SD-28 exit- EXIT 150- toward TORONTO / CLEAR LAKE. Turn RIGHT onto SD-15 / SD-28. Turn LEFT onto SD-15. Stay STRAIGHT to go onto US-212. Turn LEFT onto CR-25. CR-25 becomes MN-40. Stay STRAIGHT to go onto MN-119 SW. End at 445 S Munsterman St Appleton, MN 56208-2608, US

FROM FARGO Start out going WEST on 1ST AVE N toward ROBERTS ST. Turn LEFT onto N UNIVERSITY DR / US-81 BR S. Merge onto I-94 E / US-52 E toward MINNEAPOLIS. Take the US-59 S / CR-82 exit- EXIT 61- toward ELBOW LAKE. Turn RIGHT onto US-59 / CR-82. Continue to follow US-59 S. Turn RIGHT onto US-59 / MN-55 / CENTRAL AVE. Continue to follow US-59 S. Turn RIGHT onto 30TH ST SW / US-12. Turn LEFT onto 200TH AVE S / CR-11. Turn onto US-59 / MN-7 Turn SHARP LEFT onto S MUNSTERMAN ST / MN-119. End at 445 S Munsterman St Appleton, MN 56208-2608, US