golfkat Travel Blog

Most of my local friends know about Alcatraz Island or as locals call it, “The Rock”, and have probably been there at least once.  For those of you out of the area, and the country, the small island sits in the middle of San Francisco Bay.  It has been through many incarnations, including the first lighthouse on the west coast, a military fortress, a military prison, a federal prison, and a symbol of the American Indian movement.
 
It is easy to get there, just like in the days when it was a Federal prison.  Make a reservation on line at Alcatraz Tours, LLC, bring a windbreaker, and wear comfortable shoes.  It is a very sobering experience, as you tour and learn more about this famous prison.  I have been there 4 times, and I still find it fascinating.  It has also served as a bird sanctuary, and was also called Pelican Island by early Spanish settlers.  The prisoner’s called it “Devil’s Island”.  As your ferry approaches, it appears much larger than it looks from the air or from one of the bridges.
 
From 1850 to 1934, it was controlled by the military, both as a garrison, and as a prison.  Old buildings still remain from this era.  From 1934 to 1963, it was a Federal Penitentiary, geared to the most incorrigible criminals in the Federal system.  The Indian occupation, at various times between 1964 and 1971, helped the Native American movement, and quite possible saved the island.  In fact, when I started at the University of California in Berkeley in the Fall of 1964, I could see lights and fires on Alcatraz from the 8th floor of my dormitory.  Once the Free Speech Movement started on campus, we sort of lost sight of the movement on the Island by the Indians.
 
In October, 1973, the National Park system opened Alcatraz Island to the public.  In that first year, the estimated 50,000 visitors represented the highest number of people to set foot on the island in all of its recorded history. Even at its peak as a prison, Alcatraz averaged 250 to 300 inmates, though it had 335 cells.  When the ferry lands, take your personal Alcatraz Audio Jailhouse Tour headset/audio player, which guides you and provides insights and history into Alcatraz, mostly as a federal prison.  Many of the voices are from former prisoners and guards.
 
As you walk around and listen to the Audio program, we learn of all the famous prisoners who lived here.  They included:  Al (Scarface) Capone, Robert (Birdman of Alcatraz) Stroud, and George (Machine Gun) Kelly, Alvin (the first public enemy #1) Karpis, Mickey Cohen, and Doc Barker.  Most prisoners were not as well known, but deserved to be housed in the prison of prisons, as the Feds called it.  It was Robert Kennedy, at the time the Attorney General, who closed Alcatraz.  High costs were the reason given despite its superior security.  It was said it cost $10 per prisoner per day on Alcatraz, versus $3 in another Federal maximum security prison.  Food, water, supplies and equipment, as well as prison guards had to be shipped in. All waste and garbage had to be transported out.
 
The weather was also harsh for the prisoners.  The wind, moisture, and fog blow through the Bay almost all of the time.  Escape was impossible due to the swift currents, assuming the prisoner could get out of the cell, and prison complex.  Many movies were made here, including Escape from Alcatraz with Clint Eastwood, and The Rock, with Sean Connery and Nick Cage.  
 
Your tour includes areas like the library, the mess hall, a typical cell, a solitary confinement cell, the exercise yard, and the showers. Recently, night and overnight tours are available.  It seems so real with the headphones on, that you feel like some prisoners and guards are still there.  It is a fascinating way to spend a day.  The view of the Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco skyline, and the sailboats on the Bay are magnificent.