San Quentin State Prison opened in 1852, and is California’s oldest running state prison. Located in San Quentin, Marion County, California, the prison is for males only, and holds the only death row block in the state.
This infamous prison has held some of society's cruellest men, from Richard Ramirez to Rodney Alcala and has featued in many music videos, films and documentaries.
In the late 19th century, prison ships (hulks) were becoming severely overcrowded and disease ridden, and it was clear that a new solution had to be created to combat the 'rampant lawlessness' in California The area, originally named “Puenta de Quentin”,was selected, and 20 acres of this land was purchased by the state for $10,000.
The U.S Coast Survey team in 1850, noted the name of the site 'Point San Quentin,' most likely due to a misunderstanding of the Spanish language. The prison hulk known as the Waban was anchored in the nearby San Francisco bay, and its inmates sent to quarry clay and stone to help the new build.
Construction began in July 1852, and the 40-50 convicts of the Waban were transferred to dry land, returning only at night time to sleep in their hulk. The first cell block was completed in 1854, and was not named as male specific until 1933, when a prison specifically for women was opened at Tehachapi, known now as the California Correctional Institution.
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