WrittenPost: Alcatraz

Wednesday, September 4, 2013

Alcatraz

Alcatraz Island, 2010:

We took a short vacation to California in 2010. Made it to San Francisco and took the boat out to Alcatraz Island.

Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

Alcatraz is actually a pretty small island, so the former U. S. Federal Penitentiary (1934 to 1963) and its predecessor, a U. S. Civil War Era (1860's) Military Prison, are sort of "stacked" on top of it, and on top of each other.

Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

The boat brings you to the island just the way the prisoners arrived, at the main docks. The bright white building is a visitor's center and restrooms. The facility is now the responsibility of the National Parks Service, which has set up very nice displays of historical information.

Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

In 1969, the island, already closed down as a prison, was occupied by a group of Native Americans, and occupied for 9 months to call attention to their causes. When the Parks Service later took over care of the island, they preserved the graffiti left by the occupiers (red paint by the prison sign).

Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

The buildings are old and the salt water environment isn't friendly. The prison had housed some of the United States' most dangerous, most notorious criminals, but eventually was closed because it was too costly to operate.

Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

It's very nicely kept (as visitors of any U. S. National Parks Services facilities will find), well maintained landscaping, with great access to the more well known buildings.

Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

And fantastic views of San Francisco Bay !

Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

Luxury accommodations:
Tiny 6 ft x 10 ft cells, stacked in three tiers.
Bars, bars, bars...

Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

One awful bit of irony is this view. In several movies, you can see guys sitting on what looks like concrete "grand-stand style" seats, that are up against the cell block building. Well, this is the view from the top row of seats, high enough to see out over the wall on the opposite side of the yard, on toward the Golden Gate Bridge and the Marin Headlands to the North. Must have been terrible to sit so helplessly in prison, only to look out at such a wonderful view of bridge and bay, Time has rusted the fence away, ever heightening the temptation.