Unlocking History

Using extensive research culled from historical records, Inside CDCR explores the rich history of the people, places and programs that helped shape the modern state correctional system.

San Quentin stables with Rivera Smith, captain of the guard, overlaying the 1910 image.

Rivera Smith was the longest serving staff member at San Quentin (SQ) when he passed away in 1950, serving nearly...

Torn document with missing information led to the story of Grace Bernice Day, who was sent to San Quentin after splashing acid in the face of her husband. In the background is an early photo of San Quentin, courtesy of the Anne T. Kent California Room of the Marin Public Library.

While researching stories for the Unlocking History series, we often find damaged documents, missing photos, or incomplete information. One example...

Counterfeiters Emile Bruder and Clement Duchesne were sent to San Quentin in 1903 to serve a five-year federal prison sentence.

A recent question came across the Inside CDCR desk regarding a counterfeiter who was incarcerated at San Quentin in 1903....

Cemetery Tales, with Folsom prison cemetery and Folsom Dam in the background overlaid with a mugshot of Harry Stewart, 15561.

In our final Cemetery Tales of the season, we look more closely at Harry Stewart, early 1900s embezzler, thief, and...

JE McKim mugshot from 1907 and 1926 overlaying the Folsom State Prison.

In our third installment of this month’s Cemetery Tales, we look at a drifter with a long criminal record dating...

Cemetery Tales with image of Folsom Prison's cemetery and two mugshots of Raymond Blade and Henry Hunt.

The second installment of this month’s Cemetery Tales looks at two incarcerated people at different stages in their lives when...

John Beebe at the left and Joseph "Jose" Balado overlaying the San Quentin prison cemetery.

The first Cemetery Tales story for 2025 looks at the lives of career criminal John Beebe and Joseph “Jose” Balado,...

Exploring history of ships, such as the Waban, used by the state prison system up through the early part of the 20th century.

After California became a state in September 1850, the Legislature passed a law establishing all county jails would serve as...

Two photos of Gus Arrivey, who wrote a letter describing Fourth of July activities at San Quentin in 1915, including a baseball game.

A letter penned by a man serving time at San Quentin (SQ) in 1915 describes how the institution observed Fourth...

Briceburg prison road camp along the Merced River.

Thanks to early prison road construction camps, incarcerated crews connected communities with parks across the state. Much like CALFIRE/CDCR conservation...

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Unlocking History

SQ Captain Rivera Smith served nearly 4 decades

Echoes from the Past: Restoring history’s missing pages

Family seeks information on 1903 counterfeiter

Cemetery Tales: Harry Stewart, Fresno embezzler

Cemetery Tales: Meet JE McKim, thieving drifter

Cemetery Tales: Raymond Blade and Henry Hunt

Cemetery Tales: John Beebe and Joseph Balado

Ships shaped early California prison system

1915 letter describes San Quentin Fourth of July

Prison camps connected communities with parks