| Everyone knows Alcatraz as the island | | | | expensive to operate and the War |
| prison in the San Francisco Bay but | | | | Department decided to close the prison |
| Alcatraz has a long history that reaches | | | | in 1934 at which time the army |
| back further than its days as a federal | | | | transferred Alcatraz to the civilian |
| penitentiary. In 1853 the Army Corps of | | | | Bureau of Prisons. |
| Engineers began a project to fortify the | | | | |
| island. When the project was completed 5 | | | | After 29 years of operation as a federal |
| years later the first soldiers arrived | | | | prison Alcatraz finally closed on March |
| there. During the Civil War cannons were | | | | 21, 1963. It simply cost too much to |
| mounted all around the island and | | | | operate the facility, nearly three times |
| Alcatraz became the largest American | | | | as much as other federal prisons. Being |
| fort west of the Mississippi. | | | | an island, everything had to be shipped |
| The army began sending military | | | | food, clothing, supplies, even fresh |
| prisoners to the fort on Alcatraz Island | | | | water. The federal government determined |
| in 1860 and for many years after the | | | | it was more cost effective to build a |
| Civil War the island was used more and | | | | new facility than to keep Alcatraz open. |
| more for detaining prisoners. In 1907 | | | | In 1972 Congress established the Golden |
| Alcatraz was formally designated as a | | | | Gate National Recreation Area and |
| military prison and by 1912 a large | | | | Alcatraz Island was included as a part |
| concrete cell block was constructed | | | | of it. In October of 1973 Alcatraz was |
| which is still there today. | | | | opened to the public for the first time |
| While under military control Alcatraz | | | | and interest has continued to grow over |
| functioned mainly as a medium security | | | | the years. Each year more than 1.3 |
| prison. Over the years it became too | | | | million people visit the island. |
| expensive to operate and the War | | | | Alcatraz Finally Closes |
| Department decided to close the prison | | | | Robert Stroud: Better known as the |
| in 1934 at which time the army | | | | "Birdman of Alcatraz" Robert |
| transferred Alcatraz to the civilian | | | | Stroud was transferred to Alcatraz in |
| Bureau of Prisons. | | | | 1942 from Leavenworth where he had spent |
| In the 1920's and 30's prohibition and | | | | the last 30 years. Stroud spent six |
| the Great Depression were responsible | | | | years in segregation D Block and eleven |
| for a steep increase in criminal | | | | years in the prison hospital. In 1959 he |
| activity. Alcatraz was where the most | | | | was transferred to the Medical Center |
| hardened criminals ended up. No convicts | | | | for Federal Prisoners in Springfield |
| were ever sentenced to Alcatraz, all of | | | | Missouri where he eventually died of |
| the inmates sent there were transferred | | | | natural causes in 1963. |
| there from other federal prisons. | | | | George "Machine Gun" Kelly: |
| Alcatraz was now a maximum security | | | | George R. Kelly was transferred to |
| prison with minimum privileges. | | | | Alcatraz in 1934 from Leavenworth in |
| Prisoners at Alcatraz had only four | | | | Kansas. At just 19 years old, Kelly had |
| rights. Food, clothing, shelter, and | | | | separated from his first wife and then |
| medical care. Everything else was | | | | got involved in bootlegging. Before long |
| considered a privilege and had to be | | | | he was making a name for himself as a |
| earned. | | | | gangster. When he met his second wife, |
| Some of Alcatraz Island's most notable | | | | Katheryn Thorne who was also a seasoned |
| residents included: | | | | criminal, the pair really started to |
| | | | pursue their careers and criminals not |
| The army began sending military | | | | only as bootleggers but as bank robbers |
| prisoners to the fort on Alcatraz Island | | | | and kidnappers. The nickname |
| in 1860 and for many years after the | | | | "Machine Gun" Kelly actually |
| Civil War the island was used more and | | | | came from his wife Katheryn. She |
| more for detaining prisoners. In 1907 | | | | purchased a machine gun for her husband |
| Alcatraz was formally designated as a | | | | and was making a name for him by passing |
| military prison and by 1912 a large | | | | out spent cartridge shells at the |
| concrete cell block was constructed | | | | underground clubs as souvenirs from her |
| which is still there today. | | | | husband "Machine Gun" Kelly. |
| While under military control Alcatraz | | | | Many historians believe that she was the |
| functioned mainly as a medium security | | | | brains behind her husbands image and |
| prison. Over the years it became too | | | | many of there successful bank robberies. |