Alcatraz Prison, located on an island in San Francisco Bay, was first used as a military facility for holding Civil War prisoners. In 1933 it became a federal detention facility, housing famous and notorious convicts. The prison closed in 1963 and is now a popular tourist attraction. The island was first claimed by Mexico and later sold to the US government for use as a military installation. The prison had the capacity to hold 336 prisoners, but was never filled. The prison housed only males. Famous inmates included Al Capone, George “Machine Gun” Kelly, and Arthur “Doc” Barker. In 1986, the island and prison were listed as National Historic Landmarks and opened to tourists.
Alcatraz Prison, located on Alcatraz Island in San Francisco Bay off the coast of California, has had a storied past. It was opened in 1861 as a military facility for holding Civil War prisoners. At that time the island was used exclusively as a fortification by ground troops and the prison was only part of a larger military installation there. It also held prisoners of war during the Spanish-American conflict in 1898. In 1933 it was transferred to the US government for use as an all-purpose federal detention facility, and in this capacity it housed a number of famous – and notorious – convicts. There’s a lot of lore surrounding both the dungeon and the island, including myths about dungeons and the island’s impenetrability, but most are little more than exaggerations. The prison closed in 1963, but remains a popular tourist attraction.
Military use
The island, which takes its name from the Spanish word for “pelican,” was a military fortification soon after it was discovered by Spanish explorers. It was first claimed by Mexico, but the Mexican governor reportedly gifted it in its entirety to an American named Julian Workman in 1946, and later sold it to the US government for use as a military installation. At first the island was used as a fortification, presumably to protect the bay and the city of San Francisco from water-based warfare, but the military also built a prison there in 1861.
The first inmates were captured by Confederate sympathizers during the American Civil War. That war pitted the northern states, known as the “Union,” against the southern states, which were known as the “Confederacy.” California and the West were not directly involved in the conflict, but generally aligned with northern ideologies. These captives were usually captured in the west and often accused of being privateers.
Prisoners of war were also held here during the Spanish-American War in 1898. Spanish citizens and those fighting for control of Cuba and other regions of the Caribbean were held as prisoners of war and caused the population of those to more than quadruple who were incarcerated.
Transfer to civilian control
The first civilian prisoners came from San Francisco’s Main Jail in 1906, when a massive earthquake left the building badly damaged. The island, by contrast, was more or less untouched. The Army eventually closed its fort and relocated its prison in 1933, at which time it transferred the island and all of its facilities to the United States for use as an entirely civilian installation. From then on it was used as a federal penitentiary housing prisoners from all over. Almost any inmate could be sent to Alcatraz, but tradition holds that only the most dangerous and devious are ever transferred there.
Capacity and conditions
Overall, the prison had the capacity to hold 336 prisoners, but was never filled. Many of the prisoners said that conditions in the prison were as good if not better than those in other prisons. Alcatraz housed only males.
One of the myths surrounding prison was that it was inevitable. Although the waters surrounding the island are extremely cold and full of strong currents, there are no man-eating sharks or other life-threatening terrors, things often depicted in movies. It is also located only 1.5 miles (about 2.4 km) from the port. In recent years, two 10-year-olds have actually swum out to the island from the San Francisco pier to prove it could be done. The difference for them, of course, is that there were no prison guards actively observing during their outing.
There have been several escape attempts from federal prison. In total 36 men attempted 14 separate escapes. Twenty-three were captured, two drowned, and six were killed during their escape attempts. There are still five escaped prisoners who are listed as “missing presumed drowned”.
Famous inmates
In summary, the prison housed 1,576 prisoners before it closed in 1963. Much of the island’s popular history showcases the more famous or infamous criminals who served there, and indeed some famous people were incarcerated behind its walls. Most of the prisoners, however, were just ordinary criminals.
Some of the most talked about inmates included Al Capone, George “Machine Gun” Kelly and Arthur “Doc” Barker. One of the most famous films in the history of Alcatraz was The Birdman of Alcatraz, starring Burt Lancaster as real-life prisoner Robert Stroud, who was said to have raised birds in his cell. However, scholars and researchers are often quick to note that Hollywood has taken liberties with the real story. In real life Stroud raised and studied sparrows and canaries, and wrote two books on canaries and their diseases while in prison. However, some of the birdcages and equipment in his cell were eventually discovered to be part of a still for the production of alcohol, so the story didn’t have as happy or healthy an ending as the film seemed to suggest.
Native American claims
The prison closed in 1963, largely as a cost issue. It was an expensive structure to maintain and its proximity to water resulted in extensive salt erosion over the years which proved very costly to maintain and restore. However, it wasn’t abandoned for long. A group of Native Americans tried to occupy the island, including the prison facility, in 1969; some of them said the island was rightfully theirs, but most just wanted to make a larger statement about how US policies negatively impact indigenous peoples. They remained for nearly two years, and many of the buildings on the island still show damage from the fires and vandalism that occurred as the conflict wound down.
Turismo
In 1986, the island and prison were listed as National Historic Landmarks, and the facility opened its doors to tourists shortly thereafter. The island is open to the public, but is managed by the National Park Service and the prison is part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. The only approved way to reach the prison is by chartered ferry, and a number of companies operate boats from Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco, a popular tourist area. People can usually walk around the island freely, but a guide is usually required to enter the prison. Some parts of the building are still functional, but others are in various states of disrepair. Tours typically also include the ruins of the original military garrison and viewings of some of the underground cells.
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