On October 3, 1849, the bark, La Grange arrived in Sacramento City. The La Grange, owned by the Salem and California Mining and Trading Expedition, left Massachusetts with 61 men in March 1849 bound for California looking to seek fortune during the Gold Rush. Upon its arrival in Sacramento City, it was moored (secured) near the foot of I Street on the Sacramento River. It was soon purchased by Sacramento County to be used as a “prison brig.” Sacramento City lacked having adequate facilities and formal jails for holding prisoners. Ships served as solution to the jail problem. The La Grange was the third and last ship to be used as a jail in Sacramento, but it served as a jail from June 1850 until November 1859 when it sank during a flood. All 33 prisoners survived the flooding and were relocated to the city’s station house. The ship was later sold to T.A.Talbot, who scrapped it for parts. In this video, Shawn discusses the location of where the La Grange was located and its time as a ...