San Francisco Police Department

The Public Institute

In 1847, prior to the gold discovery, San Franciscans had erected a one-room schoolhouse on Portsmouth Square (at Clay Street) to educate the town's few children. When news of the gold strike on the American River hit town, the pupils took off for the gold fields, their teacher not far behind. As the town exploded into city hood with the arrival of the 49ers, the little schoolhouse was pressed into service as a multi-purpose public building. In mid-1849 it served as a justice court and Police office. In October, the council acquired the brigantine, Euphemia, which was outfitted as a jail and moored out from Central Wharf (Commercial Street) at Battery.

Prison Brig Euphemia

Acquired by the council for $3500 from one of its own members in those pre-conflict-of-interest days, the "brig," as it was called, was served as the main post sentencing jail in San Francisco until May 1851, when it was sold to settle a judgment against the city. The frequent escapees from the insecure facility contributed to the public outrage leading to the formation of the first committee of Vigilance. Given the tendency of seafaring types to find their way into local jails while recreating ashore, the Euphemia may well have given a word (the brig) to that portion of a sip now used to describe the place where prisoners are held.