History of Alcatraz

As promised here is what I learned about the history of Alcatraz. I tried to keep it short but here it is.

The Island is actually the top of a sandstone hill. The rest was covered when glaciers melted. It sits in the mouth of the San Francisco bay. San Fran Bay was then considered a gateway to the west and so the US government installed two forts on either side and created Alcatraz as a citadel with cannons, cannonballs and lots of fire power. It created a triangle defense. It was built before the civil war and maintained till just after.

It actually house civil war prisoners at one point. It was also a prison during the Spanish-American war. At that point the War Department wasnt able to up keep it or afford it. It was turned over to US Prisons department. After the great depression and the hard times a crime wave hit America like nothing before and the public out cried for punishments. The top criminals such as gangs tar Al Capone, serial killer Robert Franklin Stroud (the birdman), George "Machine Gun" Kelly, and others.

1960's that wonderful era (cough cough) brought out prisoners rights and under pressure the government close the facility in 1963. It was abandoned till 1969 when about 80 Indians who were ordered to go to the bay area by the government decided to claim the land as theirs. Thousands of Indians hear about it and made there way to live there for nearly two years before the government came to kick them out. Hence the Indians Welcome sign.

Inside the prison they referred the hallways to famous streets in American cities. Michigan Ave and Broadway. The center of the prison that lead to the mess hall was referred to as Times Square. It is fairly light there now with windows unblocked but otherwise it was a very dark place. On the southwest corner of what the inmates called C block is the best rooms they said. There were 6 cells on the ground floor that caught sunlight in the morning and evening and you could hear the sounds of San Fran across the bay. The hallway between C and D blocks was called CD Street. D block was reserved for the worst criminals and solitary confinement. There were about 6 or 8 solitary rooms where prisoners could stay for up to 14 days. You walk into a solid door with a tiny window which usually was covered up when prisoners where in there. There was a space as bag as a tiny closet with bars in front and then you walked through the bar door and into the cell, which ironically was quite large but nearly completely dark even with the doors open. There was a small light in it but it is said that the guard would turn it off when prisoners where in there leaving absolutely no light for up to 14 days.

For information of the 1946 riot and the only successful escape attempt out of the prison to the water at least is written on the post below.

The condition of the buildings is falling apart on the outside and all moldy on the inside. Many of the houses of the families, warden and other guards are either reduced to rubble and rusted iron or left with no roof or insides but the outside walls still stand. Families did live there as their parents worked on the island. Children who grew up there report that they rarely say the prisoners and it was like they didnt even notice it was a prison. It was a secluded spot. and quite. Maybe this sign explains that.
Although it was abandoned and now it is a national park, it is a home now. It is a home for birds. All kind of bird, egrets, Canadian geese, gulls and others live there in huge numbers. It is quite nice to see.

You can see the highlights of pictures I took here and you can see all the pictures my wife and I took here. The highlight pictures dont contain many if any pictures from inside the prison. It was very hard to shoot in there with the crowds and the lack of light. I was trying hard to balance between flash and no flash and it didnt turn out so well, but I learned a lot!