San Quentin State Prison

San Quentin State Prison is located on 432 acres (1.7 km²) on Point Quentin in Marin County, California, north of San Francisco. San Quentin State Prison was opened in July 1852, and is the oldest prison in California. It was built by inmates who were housed on the prison ship Waban during the construction. San Quentin held both male and female inmates until 1933 when the women's prison at Tehachapi was built.

Related Topics:
Marin County - California - San Francisco - 1852 - Prison

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The state's male death row is located at San Quentin, as well as its only gas chamber. It has a reputation of being one of the state's most violent prisons. Designed to house 3,317 inmates, it currently has nearly twice that number.

Related Topics:
Death row - Gas chamber

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Johnny Cash famously performed a concert for the inmates live at San Quentin. Metallica recorded the music video "St. Anger" at San Quentin. Paul Rodriguez has performed numerous comedy concerts at San Quentin.

Related Topics:
Johnny Cash - Live at San Quentin - Metallica - Paul Rodriguez

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In 1941 the first prison meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous took place at San Quentin; in commemoration of this, and to mark the prison's strong support of A.A. since that time, the 25-millionth copy of the A.A. "Big Book" was presented to Jill Brown, Warden of San Quentin, at the International Convention of Alcoholics Anonymous in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, 30 June - 3 July 2005.

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