Alcatraz Island

— Although Alcatraz is more famous as a prison, the prison itself closed its doors in 1963. As a unit of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area (part of the National Park Service), Alcatraz has had a significant history throughout the years. A lighthouse in 1854, Alcatraz is also known as Uncle Sam’s Devil’s Island or American Gibraltar. In the mid-nineteenth century the island was an impressive fortress guarding the entrance to the San Francisco Bay. As a military prison, it covered the period from 1907 to 1933. It then became a federal prison from 1933 to 1963, which is the period for which it is most famous. In 1969, the Indians of All Tribes occupied Alcatraz for 19 months. That group was fighting in the name of freedom and Native American civil rights. You can still see signs of the occupation on the water tower on the island with the words “Indian Land.” In 1971 the National Park Service bought the island and opened it to the public.

Although tours are currently suspended because of the COVID-19 pandemic, one could visit the facility by taking a boat from San Francisco to the island. On the island, a guided audio tour is available and highly recommended. It will guide a visitor through all the facilities with important historical information. Alcatraz had some very famous prisoners, including Al Capone, George “Machine-Gun” Kelly, Alvin Karpis (the first “Public Enemy #1”), and Arthur “Doc” Barker. As a prison, the inmates had four basic things provided: food, clothing, shelter, and medical care. Anything beyond that was an earned privilege. Some of those privileges included working, library access, and family correspondence. According to an article in the Washington Post, it is believed that only three people have escaped from Alcatraz. However, no evidence has ever been found if they survived or drowned in the frigid waters of the San Francisco Bay.

In the last photo below, you can see a typical cell, just barely wider than a single mattress and small table.