Tour of San Quentin Prison for up to 10 people. San Quentin was established in July 1852 at Point Quentin in Marin county as an answer to the rampant lawlessness in California at the time. During its construction, inmates slept on the prison ship, the Waban, at night and labored to build the new prison during the day. San Quentin housed both male and female inmates until 1933 when the women's prison at Tehachapi was built.