On Saturday, July 20, April Moore signed copies of her book, “Folsom’s 93: The Lives and Crimes of Folsom Prison’s Executed Men,” from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Folsom Prison Museum.
Behind her and slightly to the left, in the shade of several trees and under the protection of security guards, was a platform with outlines of feet, appropriate since Moore’s book tells the story of the 93 men who were executed by hanging at Folsom State Prison between 1895 and 1937.
Among the people speaking with Moore about the album of mug shots on the table and facsimile of the original document that culminated with Moore writing the book was a woman who had worked at the prison for 15 years. During a discussion about how Moore identified the prisoners, the woman said that the prison had stopped pinning the numbers to the convicts during her tenure.
The setting for the day was the Folsom Prison Museum, located on the grounds of Folsom State Prison, on the appropriately named Prison Road. Road signs warn drivers not to turn around or stop. It’s a short, calm drive during which cattle or other wildlife might be spotted.
The museum parking lot is shared with the prison visitors parking lot, and the museum’s website directs people to walk to the guard shack, which they fail to state is located across the street from the Visitor Processing Center. The Represa Post Office is also on the prison grounds.
Moore welcomed people interested in history, in prison history and those who had worked at Folsom State Prison throughout the day, discussed how she acquired the materials and the most interesting stories she encountered, including that of Jacob Oppenheimer.
If you missed Moore on Saturday, she’ll make one more stop in Sacramento on Wednesday, July 24, at 7 p.m. at Time Tested Books when you might ask her about Oppenheimer. Have a few questions lined up for her, or form questions after listening to her.
Read earlier book review here.
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