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