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