Where is Alcatraz? – Here’s Everything About This Federal Prison!

Have you ever heard of an island not meant for spending holidays or tourist visits but meant solely for confining the most dangerous, deadly criminals? In short, a prison island. If not, then today the article we will be going through is going to be entertaining and full of knowledge for you. The island is famous for its name, Alcatraz. It has served its duties as Military fortification, War prison, and Federal prison. Currently, it is a public museum under the National Park Service US that also preserves the floras and fauna of the nearby 19 districts surrounding the San Francisco Bay area. Let’s get to know more about Alcatraz Island in this article. 

Alcatraz: Overview

The Alcatraz Island is located in San Francisco Bay, California, the United States with coordinates 37.8270˚N, 122.4230˚W. 

The island is 511m long and 180m wide with 41m height AMSL. It was established as a Federal Penitentiary on 1st July 1934 and terminated on 21st March 1963. The Alcatraz Penitentiary had 336 common cells and 42 ‘solitary confinement cells. It contains 4000+ Floras & Faunas over 22 acres of land and comes under the jurisdiction of the National Park Service US. It got registered in the National Register of Historic Places in 1976 and became a National Historic Landmark in 1986.

Alcatraz: History

The name Alcatraz is derived from the Spanish term ‘Alcatraces’. In 1775, Lt. Juan de Ayala, a Spanish explorer, named it ‘Isla de Los Alcatraces’. It means ‘island of the Pelicans’, which was probably due to the island being a habitat zone of seabirds when first explored.

By the order of the president, around the 1850s, the island was reserved for US military use. Later San Francisco’s Gold Rush raised a need for protection. Thus, a highly armed military citadel was established in 1853. Together with Fort Point and Lime Point, Alcatraz formed the “Triangle of Defense” to guard the entrance to the bay.

The U.S. Army used the island for nearly a century, in 1933, the island was transferred to the US Department of Justice. Where, FBP (Federal Bureau of Prisons) in 1934, established a maximum security, state-of-the-art penitentiary titled ‘Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary’ and was reserved for the most improper prisoners. Eventually, it became the most prominent prison in all of U.S. history.

The island has been the confinement destination for many well–known criminals like Robert Stroud popularly known as ‘Birdman’ and other known criminals such as Al Capone, George Kelly the ‘Machine Gun’, Alvin Karpis the ‘Public Enemy’, Arthur Barker the ‘Doc’ and more. The Prison had a holding capacity of 336 but never once reached its total capacity. Instead of what movies have portrayed the image of Alcatraz as a ‘Devil’s island’, it was a good prison, which even was considered a fine one among the inmates themselves, several even requested to be transferred here.

It was a prison destined for criminals who threatened the rules and regulations of other federal penitentiaries and needed a strict routine for proper behavior. In Alcatraz, the prisoners had four basic rights Food, Shelter, Clothing, and Medical care. Anything more was considered the privileges to be earned by sheer behavior and obedience. They could earn additional rights like visits from the family, access to the premises library, working, etc.

Alcatraz: Escapes

The well-famed inescapable USP (United States Penitentiary) Alcatraz also holds a record of not letting a single ‘successful’ escape happen, though there were several escape attempts in its long active history.

The recorded 14 different attempts by 36 inmates, out of which, 23 were retained back, 6 were shot and killed while trying to escape, 2 drowned in heavy sea currents, and 5 were declared missing and labeled probably drowned.

Alcatraz: Prison Termination

After 29 years of serving, Alcatraz Penitentiary ended on 21st march 1963. The reason for its closure was the managing and operating expenses, which were too high. An estimation says, up to 4 million dollars was needed for the restoration and continuation of the prison. The cost of operating Alcatraz prison was thrice that of any other federal prison, the major reason for it being so expensive was its physical isolation as being an island.

Everything has to be barged, including fresh drinking water, food, fuel, etc. Therefore, Federal Government built another institution and removed Alcatraz prison from its legal tender.

Alcatraz: Present Status

Today, Alcatraz serves as a famous museum and attracts tourists from across the world. The idea to use Alcatraz as a museum after the collapse of the prison came from the disobedience movement started in 1969 by Native American Indians, which was carried out for 18 months. 

In 1972, the Congress established Golden Gate National Recreation Area to protect & preserve ecological and historical landscapes surrounding San Francisco Bay, which covers 82,116 acres under its area, and is managed by National Park Service; it was available to the public and tourists from October 1973 when it opened as a preserved park under US National Park Service.

Alcatraz: Facts

• Before the famous prison, the island was home to the first lighthouse on the western coast of the USA.
• Famous Al Capone was brought here via train on a barge through the sea because the officials feared he would escape in between his transfer.
• Some of the kids grew up on this island. The most famous one is Jolene Babyak who is among the prominent historians of the Island.

Bottom Line:

Alcatraz is a lovely island with preserved floras & faunas and so much more. It deserves to be on everyone’s bucket list without any further thought. The USA covers thousands of places like this, so if you are going on a country tour, you have to be visiting San Francisco and its amazing Bay.