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Folsom State Prison
Folsom State Prison might not be so well known if it weren't for the fact that Johnny Cash played a concert there for the inmates back in 1968, which secured the prison's place in pop culture.
Located along the American River, FSP officially opened in 1880. Much of the prison was constructed from granite blocks, hammered out by prison labor. It was the first prison in the world to have electric power which was supplied from the nearby hydroelectric plant.
 While much of the prison is off limits to the public, there are some areas accessible for viewing. This is the east gate, and the FSP museum sits just across the driveway from here.
 Here's a closer view of the east gate. Notice the detail on the granite arch, along with the industrial ironwork. Johnny Cash had his picture taken in front of this gate which appears on one of his album covers.
 Nearby the parking lot of the east gate is this guard tower built into the wall of the prison.
 Moving across to the north side of the American River, much of the prison is visible. The river at this point travels in a fairly steep canyon which acts as a natural obstacle to any potential escapees.
 While there are many structures at the prison today, this is the original cell block constructed in the 1800's. In the center is the granite stairway leading to the main entrance.
 This is a view from slightly upstream. The American River is to the right, with the prison in the background. The wall in the foreground is the old diversion dam built to divert water into the hydroelectric plant.
 At the bottom of this long granite wall is the railroad gate. At one time a railroad passed through this gate to transport supplies to and from the prison.
 The railroad accessed the prison from the south side. This is as close as one dare get today. While the tracks are long gone, the rail bed still exists, and runs parallel to the canal which supplied the powerhouse with water.Labels: folsom, johnny cash, prison
posted Thursday, January 15, 2009 |
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