…and to another brilliant segue by Kerry – from Folsom to San Diego. There is a lovely little seaside community in San Diego called Seaport. As I was walking about I noticed this fancy schmancy shopping and dining center, The Headquarters at Seaport. Even more intriguing was that this was the original San Diego Police Headquarters built in 1939. What a place to work with magnificent views of the water! As the city increased in size they outgrew the original headquarters and here we are today. Amazingly they kept the original 8 block cell intact with some of the mugshots of the prisoners. This is a link to the history and architecture of The Headquarters.
Since I went to San Diego to research my ancestors, I looked with cautious trepidation at the mugshots. Was one my relative – not to my knowledge? What an interesting bunch they were. Such a mix of ethnicities and most of the crimes seemed relatively minor.
The cell blocks themselves looked better than most youth hostels I frequented in my youth. You had a bed, toilet and sink all to yourself – wow! I bet there was even hot water…
As fascinating as it was, I was left with a feeling of sadness that so many of them were drug addicts. How little life changes over the generations. At least they had reasonably sized jail cells with the smell of the ocean just outside the door.
You won’t find my mug shot in San Diego, but you might at Alcatraz, where I was pretty well known — you’ve heard of the Turd Man of Alcatraz? 😦
Seriously, though, I share the sentiments expressed in your last paragraph.
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Oh, so you knew my Dad? 😁 He was in San Quentin for forging checks – seriously! I think he had an undiagnosed mental illness and misused illegal drugs.
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Coincidentally, when I wrote my last comment, I didn’t realize that the film BIRDMAN OF ALCATRAZ had just been on TCM a few minutes earlier….I’d seen it previously, but I might have watched it again if I’d known it was on. Good movie.
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Serendipity!
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Those faces and their stories …. how I yearn always when I see such to learn more. To understand how and why they ended up in that particular ‘hotel’. As always, Kerry you have me thinking and wondering and your post is a wonderful mix of info and pictures and personality x
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Thank you so much, Osyth. The faces told so many possible stories. I was alone in the jail which added to eerie feel.
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Great place. Have visited there in several occassions. Took Terry there for the first time several years ago while in San Diego and he loved it. Fond memories. Thanks for sharing Kerry
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I am glad to remind you of a happy time. K x
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Let this be a warning to never smuggle or become addicted to drugs in San Diego. And I thought Joe Friday worked for the LAPD…
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LOL!
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Fascinating trip through now and Yesterday. The photos are so evocative. I like the comment about the youth hostels!
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Youth hostels were bloody awful back in the day, 😁
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Rite of passage eh? 😉
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LOL! I only went to meet boys…
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😄
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I went to San Diego before, but I was a good boy and didn’t get my photo taken. 😉
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Good for you! Did you get your titbit out?
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Thankfully, not in a criminal way. 😉
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