The Women's Prison in Tehachapi - 1932

The Women's Prison in Tehachapi - 1932. Became California Correction Institution for Men in 1954. In 1933 California’s first women’s prison was established in Tehachapi to provide an environment more conductive to rehabilitation than San Quentin State Prison. Two-story buildings were constructed of reinforced concrete in the French Normandy style, with three residential “cottages” for inmates. Two of the cottages were complete living units, each with its own kitchen, dining room, living room, bathrooms and supervisor’s quarters. A larger cottage had one complete segregated living unit on its lower floor for black women. The upper floor became a housing unit for older women., Fireplaces and comfortable chairs were available in each cottage and an activity building was used for movies, parties, dancing, sports and exercises. There was also a library, tennis courts, softball diamond and volleyball court. Unless physically unable, all inmates were required to work at regular jobs, including the laundry, grounds crew, farm crew, clothing factory, administration, food services and other duties. School attendance was mandatory with classes held in the evenings. Vocational classes were also available. , During the 1952 earthquake, many chimneys and roof tiles fell to the ground. The main support walls stood firm without collapsing but most of the rooms suffered damage, as did the gas, water and electrical systems. There were no deaths or serious injuries. The buildings were declared uninhabitable and a tent camp provided basic needs for close to a month. A new women’s prison at Frontera was completed in August 1952 and the remaining 382 female inmates left Tehachapi for the new prison., In 1954 the state legislature approved the reopening of the facility as the Tehachapi branch of C.I.M., a minimum security prison, with the first 19 male inmates arriving a year later.