

In 1968, Johnny Cash played a concert at the prison.
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Additionally, California's vehicle license plates have been manufactured at FSP since the 1930s. In 1892 Hane was accused of murdering Lee Gong, even though a witness stated they saw Lee Sam shoot Gong another said they thought Gong had been shot through a window while sitting at a desk.įSP industries include metal fabrication and a print shop, and 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. The public was invited to witness the execution. The prison's first hanging occurred on 13 December 1895 when Chen Hane was "hanged by the neck until dead" at 10:00 am. Due to an incorrect record, it is often mistaken that there were 92 executions, but there were in fact 93. Subsequent executions were carried out in the gas chamber at San Quentin. A total of 93 prisoners were hanged at FSP between December 13, 1895, and December 3, 1937. Īfter the state of California took sole control of the death penalty in 1891, executions were held at Folsom and San Quentin. Air holes were drilled into the cell doors in the 1940s, and the cell doors are still in use today.įSP was the first prison in the world to have electric power, which was provided by the first hydroelectric powerhouse in California.

They spent most of their time in the dark, behind solid boiler plate doors in stone cells measuring 4 by 8 ft (1.2 by 2.4 m) with 6-inch (15 cm) eye slots. The prison officially opened in 1880 with a capacity of 1,800 inmates. Although FSP now houses primarily medium security prisoners, it was one of America's first maximum-security prisons.Ĭonstruction of the facility began in 1857 on the site of the Stony Bar mining camp along the American River. History įSP is California's second-oldest prison, long known for its harsh conditions in the decades following the California Gold Rush. Īs of April 30, 2020, FSP's men's facilities were incarcerating people at 130.4% of design capacity, with 2,694 occupants, and FSP's women's facilities were incarcerating people at 68.5% of design capacity, with 276 occupants. The visiting room includes an attached patio as well as space for non-contact visits. Prison facilities also include two dining halls, a large central prison exercise yard, and two smaller exercise yards. All cells include a toilet, sink, bunks, and storage space for inmate possessions. Unit 1 is the most populous cellblock in the United States, with a capacity of nearly 1,200 inmates on four five-tiered sections. The facility includes five housing units within the secure perimeter, including the original two-tiered structure. The dam was replaced in 1955 by the Folsom Dam. Represa (translated as " dam" from the Spanish language) is the name given in 1892 to the State Prison post office because of its proximity to a dam on the American River that was under construction at the time. 4.1 California Prison Industry Authority (CALPIA)īoth FSP and California State Prison, Sacramento (SAC) share the mailing address: Represa, CA 95671.
