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1 Chapter 1 : NY Daily News - We are currently unavailable in your region The Other Alcatraz: Home of the Western Gull [Ernest and Jeanne Lageson] on blog.quintoapp.com *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. For nearly thirty years, Alcatraz Island was home to some of the most violent and vicious criminals in the country. Alcatraz in the dawn mist, from the east. The "parade ground" is at left. Alcatraz Island and lighthouse at sunset The water tower and powerhouse at right, which generated electricity for the island. A model of Military Point Alcatraz, â, now on display at Alcatraz Island The first Spaniard to document the island was Juan Manuel Diaz, who charted San Francisco Bay and named one of the three islands he identified as "La Isla de los Alcatraces," which translates as "The Island of the Gannets " but is commonly believed to translate as "The Island of the Pelicans Spanish for Pelicans is Pelicanos," [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] from the archaic Spanish alcatraz "pelican". Over the years, the Spanish version "Alcatraz" became popular and is now widely used. A gun fired over the feathered legions caused them to fly up in a great cloud and with a noise like a hurricane. The Spanish built several small buildings on the island and other minor structures. Army began studying the suitability of Alcatraz Island for the positioning of coastal batteries to protect the approaches to San Francisco Bay. In, under the direction of Zealous B. Tower, the United States Army Corps of Engineers began fortifying the island, work which continued until, eventuating in Fortress Alcatraz. When the American Civil War broke out in, the island mounted 85 cannons increased to cannons by in casemates around its perimeter, though the small size of the garrison meant only a fraction of the guns could be used at one time. At this time it also served as the San Francisco Arsenal for storage of firearms to prevent them falling into the hands of Confederate sympathizers. The island was also the site of the first operational lighthouse on the West Coast of the United States. Alcatraz Citadel Because of its isolation from the outside by the cold, strong, hazardous currents of the waters of San Francisco Bay, Alcatraz was used to house Civil War prisoners of war POWs as early as Following the war in, the army determined the fortifications and guns were being rapidly rendered obsolete by advances in military technology. Modernization efforts, including an ambitious plan to level the entire island and construct shell-proof underground magazines and tunnels, were undertaken between and but never completed the so-called "parade ground" on the southern tip of the island represents the extent of the flattening effort. In, a brick jailhouse was built previously inmates had been kept in the basement of the guardhouse, and in, Alcatraz was officially designated a long-term detention facility for military prisoners. The facility was later discontinued for POWs in Army General George W. After the San Francisco earthquake, civilian prisoners were transferred to Alcatraz for safe confinement. On March 21,, Alcatraz was officially designated as the Western U. Military Prison, later Pacific Branch, U. It was completed in To accommodate the new cell block, the Citadel, a three-story barracks, was demolished down to the first floor, which was actually below ground level. The building had been constructed in an excavated pit creating a dry "moat" to enhance its defensive potential. The first floor was then incorporated as a basement to the new cell block, giving rise to the popular legend of "dungeons" below the main cell block. The Fortress was deactivated as a military prison in October and transferred to the Bureau of Prisons. Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary An exterior view of the Alcatraz main cell block from the exercise yard. Alcatraz was designed to hold prisoners who continuously caused trouble at other federal prisons. Marshals and railway security officials. Johnston and associate warden J. Shuttleworth, both considered to be "iron men". It also provided housing for the Bureau of Prisons staff and their families. During its 29 years of operation, the penitentiary claimed that no prisoner successfully escaped. A total of 36 prisoners made 14 escape attempts, two men trying twice; 23 were caught alive, six were shot and killed during their escape, two drowned, and five are listed as "missing and presumed drowned". Kennedy ordered the penitentiary closed on March 21, In addition, citizens were increasingly protesting the environmental effects of sewage released into San Francisco Bay from the approximately inmates and 60 Bureau of Prisons families on the island. That year, the United States Penitentiary in Marion, Illinois, on land, opened as the replacement facility for Alcatraz. Native American occupation[ edit ] A lingering sign of the â 71 Native American occupation Alcatraz Island was occupied by Native American Page 1

2 activists for the first time on March 8, Beginning on November 20,, a group of Native Americans called United Indians of All Tribes, mostly college students from San Francisco, occupied the island to protest federal policies related to American Indians. A number of employees of the Bureau of Indian Affairs also occupied Alcatraz at that time, including Doris Purdy, an amateur photographer, who later produced footage of her stay on the island. The American Indians claimed the island by provisions of the Treaty of Fort Laramie between the US and the Sioux; they said the treaty promised to return all retired, abandoned, or out-of-use federal lands to the native peoples from whom they were acquired. Indians of All Tribes then claimed Alcatraz Island by the " Right of Discovery ", as indigenous peoples knew it thousands of years before any Europeans had come to North America. In discussing the Right of Discovery, the historian Troy R. Johnson states in The Occupation of Alcatraz Island, that indigenous peoples knew about Alcatraz at least 10, years before any European knew about any part of North America. The origin of the fires is disputed. Graffiti from the period of Native American occupation is still visible at many locations on the island. He established a new policy of self-determination, in part as a result of the publicity and awareness created by the occupation. The occupation ended on June 11, Page 2

3 Chapter 2 : Fees & Passes - Alcatraz Island (U.S. National Park Service) Alcatraz Island (/ ˈ à l k É ËŒ t r à z /) is located in San Francisco Bay, miles ( km) offshore from San Francisco, California, United States. The small island was developed with facilities for a lighthouse, a military fortification, a military prison (), and a federal prison from until Lock up all the really bad guys in one solid isolated prison, separate them from other prisoners and break them down. Prisoners were transferred to Alcatraz from other prisons when they could not be controlled. For 29 years Alcatraz reined as the most secure and one of the harshest prisons in the land. Surrounded by water and built onto solid rock, this was a prison designed to keep you behind bars for as long as necessary and if you went mad in the meantime, so be it. The island was levelled out and developed into a modern and well equipped military fort. Five guns with inch cannon balls could cover a range of 3 miles in all directions. The isolation of the site proved its worth as a military prison and a jail was purposely built to accommodate the worst of military offenders. As time passed the prison population continued to grow with more military personnel being sent to serve their time on the island. The buildings, which became known as Alcatraz Penitentiary, were built with punishment in mind to accommodate the growing population. In, the Justice Department took control of the prison from the military and started to make changes to meet their aims for the most secure prison available. In, Alcatraz Prison was officially declared open and prisoners began to arrive from other penitentiaries around the country. The prison was designed to hold prisoners in the original cells with a cast iron spiral staircase to the upper tiers. Punishments for misbehaviour included being chained in the dark rooms underneath the prison for 14 days with bread and water given sparsely to survive on. The metal bars and spiral staircase inside Alcatraz. As with modern prisons, inmates were given numbers and rarely referred to by name. Number 85 was Al Capone, a man who had continued to run his illegal operations when in other prisons, transferred to Alcatraz to stop him in his tracks and prevent communication with the outside world. When he arrived in he was riddled with syphilis, which slowly affected his cognition and he was transferred back out in a much less dangerous prisoner. In along with his wife he was convicted of kidnapping millionaire Charles Urschel. Kelly reportedly changed at Alcatraz, becoming a well-behaved inmate. Rumour was his wife Catherine was the driving force behind his criminal actions, a woman who he was madly in love with and would do anything for. He was a vicious man constantly in trouble, fighting with other prisoners and showing his aggression. He spent a total of 43 years in solitary as a result and spent his final 11 years at the prison in a special cell entirely alone with little interaction with anyone. If you were sent to Alcatraz there was no parole available. If you were lucky and behaved, showing signs of improved behaviour, you may have been transferred back out to another prison. You spent most of your time in your cell alone. If you were very unfortunate you had a cell which could look out on the most beautiful views towards San Francisco. Views of civilization which you would never be able to join. You watched your fellow inmates try to deal with the conditions and outlook of Alcatraz Penitentiary. Some went mad, lost their mind in the isolation, the torture of the views and the harshness of the conditions. Others became obsessed with escape; determined they must find a way off this island and into the crowds of San Francisco. Alcatraz had the reputation of being escape proof. Even if you made it outside the prison walls, trying to flee the island was suicide. A one-mile swim lay between you and freedom, but rough waters, strong currents, and freezing conditions made such a feat impossible. Security was tight and there were many more guards to prisoners with head counts taking place every 15 minutes. In the 29 years Alcatraz was open, however, there were 14 escape attempts involving 36 prisoners. Almost one-third of them died trying to escape the island or were later executed for their actions. The first recorded escape attempt was Joe Bowers. On 27 April, he tried to escape by climbing the fence in full view of tower guards. Many feel it was a suicide attempt rather than an escape. Bowers ignored all warnings to get down from the fence and he was shot down, probably dead before he hit the ground. The leader of the inmates was Bernard Coy, a man who was obsessed with escape. He thought there was a weakness in the bars and he designed and built a bar spreading device to provide him with an escape route. He timed his attack to when the main guard was on lunch leaving just one guard on the floor of the cell house. Page 3

4 Coy and another inmate, Marvin Hubbard, overpowered the guard and let four other inmates out. Coy covered himself in grease, clambered up to the gun gallery, spread the bars with his device and climbed in. Surprised, the gallery officer was easily overpowered. Inmate Joseph Cretzer, along with others, took more officers hostage as they came in to check what was going on and the riot between inmates and officers continued for hours. The riots continued for two days until the military dropped grenades into the cell house to regain control. Coy, Cretzer, and Hubbard were killed by gunfire and two officers did not escape the rioting alive. No one attempted to escape from Alcatraz again for another 10 years. Water had to be shipped in and stored and electric was generated from old power plant. The inescapable prison was becoming a rotting structure, putting its security at risk. In, the Attorney General at the time, Robert Kennedy, ordered the closure of Alcatraz and prisoners were all shipped out to alternative prisons around the United States. In November, Native Americans claimed the land as Indian land from an ancient treaty, hoping to turn the site into an educational centre but their attempts failed. After 18 months federal marshals removed them from the island and in Alcatraz became part of the National Park system, now serving as a huge tourist attraction for people all over the world wanting a glimpse of the infamous and feared Alcatraz prison. Page 4

5 Chapter 3 : The Best Alcatraz Tours: a Local's Guide Tips on Alcatraz Tickets Alcatraz was designed to hold prisoners who continuously caused trouble at other federal prisons, a "last resort prison" to hold the worst of the worst criminals who had no hope of rehabilitation. Between and the island was used as a federal prison. Due to the exorbitant cost of operating the prison and damage to the buildings from the salt water, the facility was closed in, but its dark legend lives on today. That all changed when he got to Alcatraz. Water, Water Everywhere and Not a Drop to Drink Alcatraz is surrounded by the cold waters of San Francisco Bay, but there is no source of fresh water anywhere on the island. Close to one million gallons of water were brought to the island each week, along with food, fuel, and other supplies. No wonder it was so expensive to run. Karpis was one of the biggest Depression-era criminals, and was the face of the Barker Gang, who were a particularly vicious group of bank-robbers and kidnappers. A popular myth about Alcatraz was that escape was impossible because the waters were full of man-eating sharks. The myth was perpetrated by the guards to try and deter prisoners from even attempting to escape, but in reality, the only sharks in San Francisco Bay were harmless bottom feeders. The prisoners were more at risk from the extremely cold water, the strong currents, and the lengthy mile-plus swim. Any of these conditions could lead to drowning. Not for Luxury Alcatraz was the only prison to offer its prisoners hot showers, but it had nothing to do with being kind to the prisoners. Bluegrass Al As soon as he realized that there were no breaks to be had on Alcatraz, Al Capone became a model prisoner and was allowed to play banjo in the jailhouse band the Rock Islanders. Recently, a park ranger who astonishingly was not familiar with the history of the prison claimed to hear banjo music coming from the showers. The lighthouse was built in in order to help the frequently arriving ships navigate through the bay. The original tower was irreparably damaged during the earthquake, but a new tower with a stronger design was built after the quake and is still operational today. Hopi Hostiles The Hopi Hostiles were a group of 19 Hopi men who were imprisoned on Alcatraz when it was still under military control. The marathon is made up of a 1. The island is about as barren a spot as you can imagine. Sounds like the perfect spot for the ultimate prison! Limited Conversation Prisoners at Alcatraz were allowed warden-approved visitors once a month, but visitations had really strict rules. If they violated any of these rules, there would be no more visitors allowed, so it was probably safest to stick to subjects like the weather. Permanent Insanity Several of the prisoners at Alcatraz went insane during their incarceration, leading at least a few of them to self-mutilation and suicide. One prisoner apparently chopped off all of his fingers on his left hand and another tried to slash his throat with eyeglasses, only to be killed during an escape attempt. Out of the frying pan and into the fire. Campbell Bruce, and the movie of the same name starring Clint Eastwood as the ringleader, Frank Morris. Morris and brothers Clarence and John Anglin used homemade tools to drill holes in the cell walls to reach the vents. They created false walls to hide their work and made dummy heads from paper-mache with real human hair gross to put in their beds. Morris and Anglins were never found, but are presumed to have drowned in the attempt. A third body dressed in clothing resembling the uniform turned up on shore a few weeks later, but it was too decomposed to be positively identified. Escape From Alcatraz Advertisement Fancy Meeting You Here! Lustig was also responsible for trying to sell the Eiffel Tower, not to mention the massive counterfeiting operation which got him sent to Alcatraz, where Capone just happened to be a prisoner. A Clever Disguise In, a clever inmate by the name of John Giles successfully escaped the island by stealing an army uniform from the laundry bags and waltzing onto an army truck in uniform. His plan might have worked if the truck had been headed for the city, but no such luck. It was on its way to Angel Island instead, and as soon as he got off the truck, correctional officers sent him back to Alcatraz. So close, yet so far! A Tight Space The cells in Alcatraz were barely bigger than a closet, measuring five feet by nine feet. Line of Defense When the US acquired Alcatraz Island, the California Gold Rush was in full swing, and the government decided to create a fortress on the island for defensive purposes. The military built Fort Alcatraz in the early s, and by, it was equipped with some pretty serious firepower. Building Their Own Prison Eventually, the need for a heavily armed fort in California disappeared, so the army tore down the fortress, leaving only the basement foundation. For two years between and, Page 5

6 military prisoners were forced to build new disciplinary barracks. The rules were strict and enforced, but each prisoner had their own cell and privacy, as well as some protection from violence. Radkay also noted that Alcatraz had better food than any other American prison. What more could a prisoner ask for? Most Haunted Alcatraz wins the prize for one of the most haunted places in America, and the most haunted prison in the country. Of course it isâ and all of those doors just shut themselves! The teams were racially integrated, and this occasionally led to tensions and flaring tempers. At one particular game on May 20,, some of the prisoners pulled makeshift knives during a dispute. Would that be an automatic out? Amazingly, the occupation lasted for 19 months and the protesters numbered at its peak. The government decided to wait until it was a much more manageable 15 before they moved in, but the goal was achieved. In, President Nixon reversed the policy, and the government stopped taking their land for a time. Winged Invaders Without human inhabitants, the island has literally gone to the birds. Alcatraz is home to 5, birds from nine different species, and the first thing visiting tourists see when they pull up are the Western gulls lining the shore. The Birdman would be pleased! Attitude Adjustment Unlike most prisons, criminals were not automatically sentenced to Alcatraz. The criminals who were shipped there were not necessarily the most violent or most odious of the bunch, but they were defiant and impossible to handle. A trip to Alcatraz was intended to smarten them up and get them obeying the rules so that they could eventually be returned to federal prison. Eight prisoners were murdered by other inmates, there were five suicides, and 15 died natural deaths. No Girls Allowed Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary was commissioned strictly for men and in its entire history, there were never any female prisoners. There were also no female guards, administrators, or any women ever hired at the prison, and many of the men went as many as 20 years without hearing a female voice. Indefinite Incarceration A unique feature of Alcatraz was that there were no set sentences, and nobody could be released from the prison. Typically, a prisoner would spend between six and eight years there, but it depended on how long it took for them to shape up and start behaving. Considering that some inmates were serving multiple life sentences, Alcatraz was technically kind of like an island vacation! Old Versus New Each prisoner had their registry number stenciled on their shirts and overalls, and it became a way of distinguishing the old timers from the newbies. Those with four-digit numbers were part of the new breed of prisoner, while those with the lower numbers were the veterans. Al Capone, who arrived in, was known as prisoner 85, while Robert Stroud, the Birdman of Alcatraz, was transferred there in, and so was prisoner Al Capone is my Babysitter Prior to, Alcatraz was actually a minimum-security prison where some of the inmates were employed as babysitters for the children of the officers. When Al Capone arrived it had already changed, but could you imagine having him look after your kids? Party Crasher The launch party for the film The Rock on Alcatraz island was interrupted by an unconventional crasher. Windsurfer Jeff Bunch landed on the north side of the island wearing a tuxedo shirt and bowtie over his wetsuit. Below the A block of cells was a set of cells which were dubbed the Spanish Dungeon. Over the years, stories about the dungeons grew to almost mythic proportions. The dungeons were wet and cold, but in truth, they were feet above the water lineâ not below. In, the Bureau of Prisons director decided that the dungeon was cruel and unusual punishment and prohibited their further use. It sure took them long enough to figure that one out. He began his criminal life as a bootlegger, but he upped the stakes when he and his wife Kathryn Thorne kidnapped a wealthy businessman for ransom. The pair were captured three months later and sentenced to life in prison. Kelly moved to Alcatraz around the same time as Al Capone, after bragging about his plans to escape and jailbreak his wife. While at Alcatraz, he also loved to boast about his crimes. Not surprisingly, he got no response. After 17 years at Alcatraz, he was transferred back to Leavenworth Penitentiary in Kansas, where he died of a heart attack in Climbing the Fence The first prisoner to attempt to escape Alcatraz was Joe Bowers in, when he tried to scale the chain link fence at the edge of the island. He did manage to leave the island, but in a body bag. When he refused to come back down, an officer shot him and he fell somewhere between 50 to feet to his death. If the people who were advocating for his release knew the whole story, they definitely would have changed their tune! There, he was diagnosed as a psychopath and his research tools were taken from him, so he then wrote a history of the penal system. Mysterious Death There were many stories of paranormal activity in Alcatraz, and one particular incident occurred in Cell 14D. Sometime in the s, a prisoner who was locked in the cell screamed all night that Page 6

7 something with glowing eyes was trying to kill him. The next morning, he was found strangled to death in the cell. The cause of his death was never determined, and that could be why guards later claimed to see his ghost in line with the other inmates during a head count. Six prisoners managed to get hold of weapons and cellhouse keys, but there was a minor hitch in their plans. The keys did not include one for the recreation yard door, and the guards discovered that they were trying to escape. They should have given up there, but they decided to fight. In total, 18 officers were injured during the battle, and the Marines had to come in and help get things back under control. When all was said and done, three of the six were dead, two were tried for murder and sentenced to death by gas chamber, and the last of them, just 19 at the time, received a second life sentence. Things definitely did not go as planned. Extreme Punishment At the best of times, conditions in Alcatraz were not exactly a barrel of laughs, but there was a particularly harsh punishment for prisoners who refused to follow the rules of the prison. Page 7

8 Chapter 4 : Man Claims He's Infamous Alcatraz Escapee In Newly Surfaced Letter HuffPost Alcatraz Cruises cannot be responsible for tickets purchased through other sources. Experience the beauty, history and infamy of Alcatraz Island on San Francisco Bay. You will be astounded by what you see and learn. Single Alcatraz tickets or Alcatraz combination tours? All the tours on the island are free and are given by US Park Rangers or volunteer guides. All the tickets for the Alcatraz ferry are sold by AlcatrazCruises. You can get the tickets either directly from them via their website or ticket office, or through third parties other tour companies authorized by them to combine their tickets with other tours. How do you get out to Alcatraz Island? The only way to get out to Alcatraz Island is to buy a ticket for one of the Alcatraz ferries. These are the only boats that stop at Alcatraz and allow you to get off and explore the island and prison. The ferries out to Alcatraz Island are run by Alcatraz Cruises alcatrazcruises. How often do the ferries run? The Alcatraz ferries for the day tours run seven days a week, starting at 8: The ferries for the night tours and the Behind the Scenes tours run four nights a week, Thursday through Sunday. There are two sailings each evening one sailing in winter. Where do you catch the Alcatraz ferry? How long is the ferry ride to Alcatraz? The ferry over to the island takes about 15 minutes. The views are spectacular: For more information on taking the ferry, plus how to get to Pier 33, and suggestions for parking, see my page on visiting Alcatraz. What do you get with your Alcatraz tickets? All of the Alcatraz tours include the following: Roundtrip ferry ride to Alcatraz Island Self-guided audio tour of the prison Free guided tours by park rangers and staff Film about Alcatraz and its history Exploration of the prison and island Note: They are great fun too see my page on SF Bay Cruises for tips on the different cruises, but that may not be what you were looking for. So read carefully about the tour being offered. Alcatraz Tickets Tickets for Alcatraz go on sale 90 days in advance of the tours. These tickets book up, so get them as soon as you know your travel dates! Best way to get Alcatraz tickets The best way to get the Alcatraz tickets is to purchase them directly from Alcatraz Cruises alcatrazcruises. There are no "discounted" Alcatraz tickets and other companies sell the individual tickets for much higher prices. There are three ways to buy them from Alcatraz Cruises: Alcatraz Cruises does sell bundles of tickets to approved tour companies who combine them with other tours. Buying the packages that include Alcatraz is a popular way to get tickets for Alcatraz, and one way of getting deals. Buying individual Alcatraz tickets? The best place to get individual tickets as opposed to packages is directly through Alcatraz Cruises. The problem comes with buying individual Alcatraz tickets from other companies, not the combination packages. So how do some companies sell individual Alcatraz tickets? They "sell" a ticket to the customer for considerably more that the official ticket costs, then go to the alcatrazcruises. Then they send you a voucher so you can stand in line to pick up your ticket at the dock on the day of the tour. So basically you are paying them to buy the ticket from Alcatraz Cruises for you, with your credit card. Why not just go directly to the source and pay a lot less. You can get right on the boat with the ticket you print out from Alcatraz Cruises. You get nothing extra with that, and if the official company, Alcatraz Cruises, is sold out, they are sold out as well. When you book directly with alcatrazcruises. The official ticket company has no "service" fees or "processing" fees tacked on. In summer, especially on weekends, and around holidays, these trips are very popular. The Alcatraz ferries get sold out, weeks or months in advance, so it pays to plan ahead. There are ways to get tickets for sold-out days. If you find yourself in this situation, check out my tips for getting last-minute tickets. It can be done! Buy individual tickets directly from www. If you buy your tickets online directly from www. Yes, but only if you buy the cards from the Alcatraz Cruises company at Pier 33 or by phone through their company at Hardest times to get tickets: And to a lesser extent: April, September and October. In other words, just about any time can be tough to get tickets, except for January, February and early March! Toughest tours to book: There are ways to get tickets, even for the same day. Also, see below for some Alcatraz combination tours that might have tickets for sold-out days. See the list below. I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase through some of the links on this page, at no extra cost to you. This helps me provide all the free information I post on this website. Thank you for your support! Alcatraz Combo Tours During the high-demand, summer months, when Alcatraz is booked-up, and into the sunny months of September and October, the combination Page 8

9 tours are often unavailable as well. But some of the tour companies do have Alcatraz tickets. Check out the tours below. Alcatraz plus a City Bus Tour. There you get your bikes, and a guide leads you on a relaxing ride to the wineries for wine-tasting. The next day you visit Alcatraz. Alcatraz and a Guided City Bike Tour. Alcatraz and Craft Beer Tour. Get a two-day pass on the hop on hop off tour bus that hits most of the main San Francisco sights, and a visit to Alcatraz. Alcatraz plus the Go Cars. This combination includes a trip to Alcatraz plus 2 hours of sightseeing in a Go Car. Or check out Alcatraz combo tours to see a list of the many combinations available; there are lots! This combination packs a lot of good stuff into it. In addition to visiting Alcatraz, you get a 1-day pass on the double-decker, Hop On Hop Off bus tour of San Francisco, a choice of a city night tour or tour of Sausalito, plus 4 walking tours, and a bike rental deal. Alcatraz and the Wine Country. Travel with a small group up to the Sonoma Valley for wine-tastings at two wineries, with a stop at a scenic viewpoint for the Golden Gate Bridge, then back to the city for your Alcatraz tour. If you want some great attractions all rolled into one package, Viator has a convenient tour combination that gives you Alcatraz, Muir Woods, Sausalito and a San Francisco city tour over a two day period: Jail and Sail Tour. This is a really popular tour that tends to book up, but if you can book far enough ahead, snag this one. In addition to a visit to Alcatraz, you get a 2-hour evening cruise around the bay as the sun sets, with snacks and guitar music - very nice. See Jail and Sail tour for info and booking. Every year, over 1. A fascinating spot - both creepy and beautiful! Lots of people have said this was their favorite San Francisco attraction. Recreation Yard, Alcatraz Prison What to see on the island The former prison exercise yard is also open to visitors; from there, you can see how close San Francisco must have looked to the inmates. They had a great view of the Golden Gate Bridge, too! Winter Schedule starts Nov 5, Times and prices have changed. Day Tours of Alcatraz This Alcatraz island tour includes: Page 9

10 Chapter 5 : Alcatraz Sold Out? The 4 Ways to Get Last Minute Alcatraz Tickets. It was a workday like any other the day that the San Francisco Police Department received one of its most shocking letters ever. The letter read "My name is John Anglin. I escaped from Alcatraz in June with my brother Clarence and Frank Morris.". A total of 1, violent and dangerous criminals who did not comply to the rules or detention walked through its gates. Alcatraz was the prison of the prison system, the school of the hard-knocks. The monotonous and highly structured daily routine was meant to make inmates follow regulations. Prisoners had only four rights: Anything besides these were considered a great privilege that had to be earned through hard work. Take a peek at this list and see for yourself. At just 16 years old, he was sentenced to life in prison for killing a garage attendant during a holdup. Shortly after arriving at Alcatraz in, he began plotting an escape. His accomplices were sentenced to death, and Clarence was sentenced to 99 additional years in prison, which brought his sentence to years in prison. Sentenced to life in prison for murder and kidnapping, he arrived at Alcatraz in The prison break was a disaster. The men were caught on the shoreline of the island. Three of them surrendered, but Barker and Stamphill refused to give up and were shot down. Barker died because of his wounds. Frank Morris Starting with juvenile delinquencies, runaways, breaking and entering, burglary, narcotics, armed robbery, unlawful fights, and bank robberies, did this guy ever do anything legal? Frank Morris was transferred to Alcatraz in Within a year, he began plotting his escape. Four men were involved in the prison break: The escape took two years to plan, the four men stole tools to dig with, build a raft and life-size dummies. On June 11,, the men placed the dummies on their cell beds, and broke out through the vents at the back of their cells to the utility corridor. They continued onto the roof and reached the bay where they boarded on the raft and disappeared. Authorities were certain the men drowned, yet no bodies were ever found. Mysterious sightings of the three were reported, but nothing solid. Could they have pulled off the perfect escape? Twice convicted for tax income evasion, he was sentenced to 15 years in prison and arrived at Alcatraz in During his time here, he was nearly killed by another inmate who attacked him with a lead pipe, partially paralyzing him. In, when he was discovered with stomach cancer, he was released. He died a year later in his sleep. He soon moved on to more serious things, like assault, battery, forgery, and armed robbery. According to local folklore, Whitey Bulger was a modern-day Robin Hood, a social bandit who would go to any length to protect his neighborhood. In, he was convicted for bank robbery and was sentenced to 25 years in prison. Whitey Bulger was captured by the FBI in Before committing suicide in, he wrote an autobiography entitled Hellcatraz. Alvin even mocked the director of the FBI for not being able to capture him. Page 10

11 Chapter 6 : Alcatraz (TV Series ) - IMDb Alcatraz was obtained by the Federal Bureau of Prisons in The former military detention center became America's first maximum-security civilian penitentiary. This "prison system's prison" was specifically designed to house the most horrendous prisoners, the troublemakers that other federal prisons could not successfully detain. More than 50 years after the infamous escape from Alcatraz, two brothers who escaped may still be alive today. The three men â brothers John and Clarence Anglin and fellow inmate Frank Morris â grabbed makeshift paddles and plunged an escape raft they made of stolen raincoats into the dark waters of San Francisco Bay. But now, more than 50 years later, new leads are being presented by the Anglin family, who are cooperating with authorities for the first time. They claim that not only did the brothers survive the escape, they were alive and well up through at least the mids â and may still be alive today. In, the US Department of Justice released images of what the prisoners might look after aging, alongside their Alcatraz mug shots. Above is Clarence Anglin. Reuters The Anglin family sat on those leads for years because, they say, they were spied on and harassed by the FBI for years. They arrived without postage. In the History Channel special, the nephews take the cards and other evidence to Roderick, who retired in but is still working on the case. Though the handwriting matched, the investigators were unable to pinpoint the exact date of the cards. But the nephews also came forward with a photo â which will be revealed on the show â that proves the Anglins may have been alive in the s. They needed his DNA: Authorities had discovered a set of bones that washed ashore north of San Francisco in, which they said may have belonged to one of the escapees. The bones could still belong to Morris, though; he has no living relatives to test. Dummy head used by John Anglin to fool prison guards, Alcatraz. That includes a surprise guest star: Boston crime boss Whitey Bulger, who met the future escapees in Alcatraz. Bulger, in a letter to Ken Widner, said he instructed John and Clarence on how to navigate bay currents, and dropped a key piece of advice about being a fugitive. History Channel The nephews hope the special rewrites the history of Alcatraz, and cements their uncles and Morris as the only people to successfully escape the island, out of the 36 who tried. Roderick has lined up 10 new interviews since seeing the evidence, and is talking to US marshals about investigating in Brazil, where the Anglins may have ended up. If they are still alive both would be in their mids by now, international laws may not even allow extradition to the US. Nonetheless, Roderick would want to sit down with them to figure out how they did it. If they died and their bodies can be found, however, Ken and David want to bring the Anglin brothers back to the family plot in Ruskin, Fla. History Channel Share this: Page 11

12 Chapter 7 : Alcatraz Island - Wikipedia Visiting Alcatraz Island is one of the most rewarding experiences of any trip to San Francisco. However, visitors who wish to visit the prison and island grounds must secure reservations. For over a decade, the National Park Service has implemented a reservation system, which is much different from. Furthermore, their stated goal was to turn the island into a Native American cultural center and school. During a similar attempt in that lasted just a few days, five members of the Dakota tribe ended up occupying the island in the name of their people, referring to the Treaty of Fort Laramie, which allowed Native Americans to appropriate surplus federal lands in the United States. Of course, like all such treaties, from the U. Then, after a largely symbolic one-day occupation of the island by a handful of activists in early Nov. Eventually, just a few weeks later, 89 Native Americans from various tribes made it to the island, many of them members of the Red Power movement that sought civil rights for Native Americans starting in the s. With activists, supporters, and others joining the original 89 demonstrators over the coming months, the population of the island soon swelled to more than They set up kitchens, a health clinic, a public relations department, a nursery, and a grade school. By the end of, donations â including cash, clothes, and food â had arrived to bolster the occupation of Alcatraz, and celebrities visited the island in support, including Jane Fonda, Merv Griffin, and Anthony Quinn. At the same time, the U. Tragedy struck when the main leader of the movement, Richard Oakes, and his wife lost their stepdaughter when she fell off a walkway on the island and died. Consumed with grief, they left the island soon after, and it all began to fall apart, with competing factions looking to fill the leadership vacuum. In May, Nixon and his administration had concluded that no agreement could be reached, so they cut the power and Alcatraz fell into darkness. Despite the fire and the blackout, some remained for almost another year, but conditions went downhill rapidly. It has turned from an Indian movement to a personality thing. Alcatraz became a National Park in, and some graffiti from the occupation remains today. In the immediate aftermath, however, the month occupation brought attention to their plight, and eventually, forced the U. In addition, more than 50 legislative measures were passed supporting tribal self-rule. PixhereThe Alcatraz water tower, including a recreation of the text that had been written on it during the occupation of Alcatraz. The other legacy of the occupation, however, is the precedent for direct action by Native Americans against the U. Next, read what happened to the Dakota people of Minnesota after the Dakota Uprising of Then, see portraits of Native Americans captured before a lot of their people disappeared. Page 12

13 Chapter 8 : Alcatraz Island Facts & History blog.quintoapp.com City tours typically cover highlights such as Chinatown, Coit Tower, North Beach, the Presidio, and the Ferry Building, while other booking options combine a hard-to-snag Alcatraz tour with a cable car ride, a bay cruise to Sausalito, or a multi-day adventure into the Marin headlands, wine country, or Muir Woods. If you take the earlier of the two sailings for this tour, the 9: The second sailing at 9: Need tickets within the next four days? The tour companies that book the combination tours have to give Alcatraz Cruises the names of visitors at least four days before the scheduled tour. As a result, if you need tickets sooner than four days, the only way to get Alcatraz tickets is with the early line-up method or watching for cancellations. Line up early for same-day, Alcatraz Day Tour tickets. And the employees answering the phones will tell you that they are no longer offering the same-day tickets when Alcatraz is sold out. I get the details by going down to Pier 33 and talking to the ticket agents at Alcatraz Landing, and from visitors sharing their experiences with me. How many tickets are available? The ticket agent emphasized that everyone who plans on using the tickets also has to be present at this ungodly hour, one ticket per person. Also, anyone wanting a ticket has to be present in line the whole time; if someone leaves the line for any reason other than a bathroom break, they have to go to the back of the line when they return. This is enforced by the ticket personnel at the pier. How early should you show up? The office starts selling the tickets at 7: By late June, people are usually starting to arrive by 4: A recent August visitor arrived at 4: See below for historical patterns for different times of the year. What time are the same-day tours?: The same-day Alcatraz tickets are usually for one or more of the morning tours. Some people have been known to bring sleeping bags. Sometimes hundreds will be lined up by 5: Alcatraz Cruises has a sign at the ticket booth that mentions it: Same Day Ticket Sale Advisory Alcatraz Cruises releases a limited amount of tickets each day for same day, walk-up sales only. Tickets are sold on a first come, first served basis. Alcatraz Cruises does not guarantee immediate availability. The maximum number of tickets sold to one person is one. Tickets are sold one ticket per person, physically present. All members of the party must be present in line until the time of purchase at the ticket window for a ticket. Government issued photo identification is required for purchasing tickets and for picking up pre-paid tickets. The night tours are smaller, but more extensive. They are good for either of the two night tours. Just before the first tour leaves at 5: The tickets are honored in the order they were purchased, earliest first. There is only one ticket line in the morning before the office opens, so you will be in line with all the people wanting tickets for the day tours. As you would guess, this is hit or miss, depending on the number of spaces that open up. The good news is that people with night-tour, standby tickets often get on the boat; sometimes everyone gets on and sometimes about half get on. Night Tour Seasonal Pattern In summer, they usually have about 20 night tour standby tickets available each morning when the ticket booth opens at 7: During the past summer, the folks with night tour standby tickets almost always got on the boat that night. If not on the 5: I was down there once around 6 pm on June There were about 12 people in the standby line, and they all made it onto the 5: During winter, including the Christmas holiday season for December, they generally had 10 to 15 night tour tickets for sale to standbys for the 3: Sometimes everyone got on, sometimes only half the people got on; depended on the available places that night. Standby Line for the Night Tour they all got on Tip: Visitors for this tour must be at least 12 years old and able to climb stairs and hills. This is a great tour; I went on it recently and really enjoyed it. Historical Patterns for Day Tour Tickets Here are some past ticket-sale patterns for Alcatraz tickets at different times of year, to give you an idea of typical situations for sold-out days. Typical summer ticket pattern By the end of June, people were already starting to line up for same-day tickets at 4: The first people showed up at the ticket booth around 4 am, and the next group arrived around 6: That was also happening in August,, so hopefully that will continue. Very nice for visitors. By 5 am, about 40 people were already lined up, and within 10 minutes, another 40 had shown up. As soon as people arrived, they were handed a red ticket which would guarantee them a ticket that day, until about tickets were handed out. People were handed vouchers as they arrived, and by 5: People in line were allowed to leave the line to use the bathroom or get a snack. All the same-day tickets that morning were for the 8: Christmas Holiday Page 13

14 Season During the Christmas holidays they usually have about 50 tickets for sale for same-day, walkup purchasers for the day tour. But you can get lucky, too. I was down there on December 29, checking on the ticket situation, and when I was at the ticket booth at So you never know. Tickets for the four-day Thanksgiving Holiday in late November are hard to get as well. For example, I noticed that by March 10 of this year, all the day tours were already sold out from March 26 through Easter, April 2. The same pattern holds for the 3-day Labor Day Weekend, September, For our visitors from outside the U. The tickets were sold out for that day, and she really wanted to see Alcatraz, so she decided to try the get-there-early approach. She was in line at 6: There were 51 tickets available that day, and by 7: The first group of people in line had gotten there around 5: The ticket office opened at 7: She was able to get her tickets and went out to see Alcatraz that day. In winter, you may get same-day tickets online or in person, depending on how early you start trying, but you can usually get tickets for most or all of the day tours for the next day, including the coveted Early Bird tour. March is iffy; later in March it starts to get booked up again, especially around Easter break. The customer service rep told me they update these several times a day, so keep checking for the days you want. An easy way to do it: I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase through some of the links on this page, at no extra cost to you. This helps me provide all the free information I post on this website. Thank you for your support! You can pair Alcatraz with a city tour, or a trip to Muir Woods, Sausalito, or a bay cruise, or a number of other San Francisco activities. These tours might have tickets When Alcatraz is sold out, many of the popular combination tours are also sold out, but there are some companies that still have Alcatraz tickets for the sold-out days this summer and into fall. I rounded up some popular tours to check out for Alcatraz tickets on sold-out days. Alcatraz plus a City Bus Tour. Bike the Wine Country plus Alcatraz. On this tour, they drive you from San Francisco up to either the Sonoma or Napa Valley, equip you with bikes, and lead you on a leisurely ride to the wineries for wine-tasting. Then you visit Alcatraz the following day. Alcatraz and a Guided City Bike Tour. Do Alcatraz one day and the next day see San Francisco on a bike, with a guide who takes you along the waterfront and to the Golden Gate Bridge, or through the Streets of SF. Alcatraz and Craft Beer Tour. Visit Alcatraz in the morning and spend the afternoon tasting beer at three local brewpubs with a guide. Alcatraz, Muir Woods and Sausalito. Wander through an ancient redwood forest, explore charming Sausalito, and get a ticket to Alcatraz. Alcatraz plus the Go Cars. Zip around San Francisco in a self-guided Go Car. This combination includes a trip to Alcatraz plus 2 hours touring the city in a Go Car. You can check out a long list of them at Alcatraz combo tours. What if you only want the Alcatraz part of a combination tour? Do you have to show up for the other tour to get the Alcatraz tickets? For the tours booked through Viator, they suggest that after you make the tour reservations, you call them at with your booking number, and they will let you know how you to get your Alcatraz tickets. Page 14

15 Chapter 9 : Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary - Wikipedia The nephews hope the special rewrites the history of Alcatraz, and cements their uncles and Morris as the only people to successfully escape the island, out of the 36 who tried. Last Updated Jan 24, What happened to three men after they pulled off a daring prison break at Alcatraz in? Only the worst criminals were sent to Alcatraz. And for 29 years, it was the most secure federal prison in the country -- surrounded by the cold, rough waters of the Pacific. But brothers John and Clarence Anglin and Frank Morris disappeared into the night and have never been found. The men have become folklore -- fueled by Hollywood and popular shows. And in the last 55 years, theories about their fate have multiplied as new evidence surfaces. A letter allegedly written by one of the escapees recently came to light. Yes we all made it that night but barely! Harp spent 21 years with the FBI, but did not work directly on this case. After months of meticulous planning â on the night of June 11, â the trio of bank robbers squeezed through the vents in the back of their cells. The FBI says they used a homemade drill made from a broken vacuum cleaner motor to widen the vents. Once they crawled through, they climbed up a network of pipes and plumbing in a commonly unguarded space. They set up a secret workshop on the top of their cells, where they built and hid what they needed to escape. They eventually made it out through the ventilator that led them to the prison roof. They slid down the smokestack to the ground and launched their raft -- made of more than 50 raincoats. They also created life vests and wooden paddles. The next morning, guards found dummy heads made of plaster, paper mache, paint and real human hair in their cells. This is no joke Marshals, which is the sole agency investigating the case today, says the FBI lab examined the letter for fingerprints and DNA, and the handwriting. The writer of the letter says he spent many years after his escape from Alcatraz living in Seattle. He also mentions that he lived in North Dakota for 8 years, and currently lives in Southern California. New evidence presented in a History Channel special shows a photo allegedly showing escaped brothers John and Clarence Anglin in Brazil â 13 years after the great escape. If the men are alive today, Frank Morris would be 90 years old and John and Clarence Anglin would be 86 and Babyak was 15 years old and living on the island with her family when the men broke free. Her father was the acting warden. She has since written several books on Alcatraz. CBS San Francisco showed her a copy of the letter. As for the U. Page 15