Folsom State Prison - History

History

FSP is California's second-oldest prison, long known for its harsh conditions in the decades following the California Gold Rush. Although FSP now houses primarily medium security prisoners, FSP was one of America's first maximum-security prisons.

Construction of the facility began in 1878 on the site of the Stony Bar mining camp along the American River. The prison officially opened in 1880. Folsom was built to hold 1,800 inmates. Inmates spent most of their time in the dark behind solid boiler plate doors in stone cells measuring 4 feet by 8 feet (1.2 by 2.4 m) with 6 inch (150 mm) eye slots. Air holes were drilled into the cell doors in the 1940s, and the cell doors are still in use today.

FSP was the first prison in the world to have electric power, which was provided by the first hydroelectric powerhouse in California.

After the State of California took sole control of the death penalty in 1891, executions were held at Folsom and at San Quentin State Prison. A total of 93 prisoners were hanged at FSP between December 13, 1895, and December 3, 1937, after which executions were carried out in the gas chamber at California's San Quentin State Prison.

Prison industries include metal fabrication and a print shop. The quarry at FSP provided granite for the foundation of the state capitol building and much of the gravel used in the early construction of California's roads. California's vehicle license plates have been manufactured at FSP since the 1930s.

In 1968 Johnny Cash played a concert at the prison. Each attending prisoner lived in his own cell. Almost every one of the attending prisoners was in an education program or learning a trade. Most of the attending prisoners who were released did not return to prison after being released. Laura Sullivan of National Public Radio said that the costs of housing prisoners "barely registered" in the state's budget. In 2009 Folsom was overcrowded, having 4,427 inmates. Around that year most of its prisoners who were released returned to prison after being released.