North Beach in San Francisco City and County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)
The Old Broadway Jail
San Francisco's First County Jail (1851-1906) - 534 Broadway
Constructed at the foot of Telegraph Hill in 1851, the Old Broadway Jail was San Francisco's first real prison, a three-story brick fortress consisting of 60 cells that could house up to 200 prisoners. In 1856, the jail saw hundreds of members of the Vigilance Committee, a citizen-vigilante group, converge on the prison to demand the handing-over of the murderer of a local newspaper editor, who was swiftly found guilty by the committee and hanged two days later. A half-century later, the jail was irreparably damaged in the 1906 Earthquake and dynamited shortly thereafter.
Erected 2018 by Top of Broadway Community Benefits District.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Notable Buildings. A significant historical date for this entry is May 20, 1856.
Location. 37° 47.881′ N, 122° 24.374′ W. Marker is in San Francisco, California, in San Francisco City and County. It is in North Beach. Marker is at the intersection of Broadway and Romolo Place, on the right when traveling west on Broadway. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 534 Broadway, San Francisco CA 94133, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Italian American Bank (a few steps from this marker); Finnochio's (within shouting distance of this marker); The Condor (within shouting distance of this marker); Peter Macchiarini Steps (within shouting distance of this marker); The Lusty Lady (within shouting distance of this marker); Lupo’s Restaurant (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); The Saloon (about 300 feet away); Devil's Acre & Battle Row (about 400 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in San Francisco.
More about this marker. This is one of ten historical markers installed by the Top of Broadway Community Benefits District in the Spring of 2018.
Also see . . .
1. San Francisco Committee of Vigilance. Wikipedia entry (Submitted on April 9, 2018.)
2. 1856: Casey and Cora, by the San Francisco Vigilance Committee. Executed Today website entry (Submitted on April 9, 2018.)
Credits. This page was last revised on May 17, 2024. It was originally submitted on April 9, 2018, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California. This page has been viewed 571 times since then and 83 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on April 9, 2018, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California.