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Home , Alcatraz Island, Raccoon Strait

Alcatraz and Angel Islands in Bay: The Secure and the Island of Immigrant Hope

Author’s Note: Alcatraz is on lockdown, and it’s not due to bad behavior from . It’s the raging Coronavirus, and I don’t know when Alcatraz will open. But the island is out there, shimmering on , along with Angel Island. Both will be ready to receive visitors again when the time is appropriate. This article “Alcatraz and Angel Islands in San Francisco Bay” is also a chapter in my latest travel guidebook/ebook Northern History Travel Adventures: 35 Suggested Trips. Other articles are gathered in my travel guidebook/ebook Northern California Travel: The Best Options. All my travel guidebooks/ebooks on California can be seen on my Amazon Author Page.

By Lee Foster In the middle of San Francisco Bay, two islands occupy some of the choicest real estate on the planet. Both offer stunning views. Most importantly, they are symbols of opposite American tendencies. provided secure incarceration. On the other hand, Angel Island State Park for years stood for hope for immigrants from Asia.

Because of its isolation in the Bay, Alcatraz Penitentiary was (and is) called The Rock. The government designed this prison during the height of the gangster era as the safest possible place to lock up the likes of Al Capone. Angel Island served as the Ellis Island of the West for immigrants from Asia. Officials often discouraged those newcomers, who waited anxiously for their fate to be determined. They wondered: Would I be allowed entry to the or be sent back to China?

Both islands served originally as military fortifications. The Army built battlements there during the Civil War. They remained national defenses in the Spanish American War, , and World War II. Nike missiles bristled on Angel Island during the Cold War.

The Historic Story

Alcatraz was a federal penitentiary from 1934 to 1963. Officials chose the site so that there would be no possibility of escape. Consequently, Alcatraz became synonymous with maximum security. The Rock became a symbol of American resolve at a time when mobsters seemed as powerful as law enforcement officers. Today about 1.4 million annual visitors make a voluntary pilgrimage to the island prison. The oversees these journeys.

Al “Scarface” Capone, George “Machine Gun” Kelly, and Robert “Birdman” Stroud were some of the involuntary residents. In all, a total of 1,576 convicts served time on Alcatraz. Thirty-six convicts were involved in 14 escape attempts. Five inmates presumably disappeared in San Francisco Bay. Two who survived the 1.25 mile swim to land were recaptured. No living successful escapists have been confirmed. But there will always be speculation that some, such as the Anglin brothers, did not drown. Perhaps they emerged silently into a world of freedom. Alcatraz is so popular that reservations are highly recommended. Summer, of course, is jammed. It is the busiest season. In winter you may be able to get same- day or next-day tickets. The NPS offers details at https://www.nps.gov/alca/planyourvisit/fees.htm. Alcatraz Cruises (https://www.alcatrazcruises.com) is the exclusive provider of all boat tickets. Various tour operators may have allotments of tickets available.

Touring the Rock

Once on the island, you can tour the main prison cell block on your own with a fine audio tour. In addition, occasionally former inmates and guards act as tour guides. Also, rangers sometimes give talks. You can take a hiking walk, often near lovely gardens, around the elevated perimeter.

Alcatraz was not always a prison. Starting in 1853, a lighthouse alerted ships. Subsequently, in 1859, the military fortified it. Alcatraz housed 100 cannons and 300 soldiers at the time of the Civil War. Gradually, formidable Alcatraz began to take on the role of martial prison. Alcatraz Penitentiary Prison Island in San Francisco Bay

Today, when you tour the island, you might hear a specialized ranger talk. Occasionally the NPS holds a “celebrity” event. On one of my visits, I met William G. Baker, prisoner #1259. Then 85 years old, he sat in the bookstore autographing copies of a book that told his story. An involuntary resident, Baker lived on Alcatraz 1957-1960. Previously, he escaped from two in Oregon. However, the authorities recaptured him on both occasions.

“At 85, I prefer to emphasize that I have had 55 years of freedom,” said the reformed criminal. “It is correct that I spent 30 years behind bars in various locations. At Alcatraz my opportunities to escape were limited.” The Spanish originally named the island for the pelican that lived there. In 1853, the military fortified the island as a outpost. However, people had no potable water to drink. Authorities needed to barge in the water. Today you can see an example of the Rodman cannons. They could shoot a 440-pound ball for three miles. The 10-foot-thick original walls of Alcatraz were seemingly invincible.

Angel Island

Angel Island’s story is more complex and joyful than that of Alcatraz. from San Francisco and from Tiburon can take you to the island. Once there, you can explore on foot, on a tram ride along the level road, or on a bicycle (your own or rented).

The history of Angel Island falls into several episodes. It starts with its Indian habitation. Then, the Spanish discovered the island. Later, Angel Island served as a military outpost. Its final role, before becoming a state park, was as an immigrant way-stop and quarantine center. Miwok Indians used the island as a hunting and fishing outpost for thousands of years. The native people paddled there in tule reed canoes from Marin County. They camped at Ayala Cove. The Indians hunted deer and seals. They fished in the prolific runs of salmon that raced through . The Miwoks also hunted ducks and gathered acorns and other seed crops on the island.

Spanish Arrival at Angel Island

In August 1775 Manuel de Ayala sailed his ship San Carlos into San Francisco Bay and anchored at Ayala Cove. He came to map San Francisco Bay for future Spanish exploration.

Angel Island Immigration Station on San Francisco Bay

In 1863, during the Civil War, the federal government established Camp Reynolds. This military stronghold was to imprison Confederate sympathizers at the camp. In addition, Camp Reynolds protected San Francisco Bay from possible attack by the Confederate Navy.

Today the 19th-century military installation is one of the most interesting places to explore on the island. There is a parade ground for soldiers to muster. You can visit one officer’s cottage that has been restored. At times, spirited volunteers interpret the past.

The military placed gun batteries on the hills of Angel Island in the late 19th century. The government further strengthened the island during World War I. At that time, Angel Island housed German seaman who were captured on ships in West Coast harbors. After Pearl Harbor in 1941, the public feared a “Japanese invasion.” To counteract the hysteria, the government intensely fortified Angel Island. During the Cold War, Nike missiles bristled on the island until 1963, ready to shoot down incoming Russian bombers.

Camp Reynolds and The Immigration Station

An immigration station sits on the east side of Angel Island. The government constructed it in 1905. Between 1905 and 1940, the Immigration Station processed about 175,000 immigrants, mainly Chinese.

While Ellis Island in New York felt uplifting, this Western facility was not. Ellis Island officials welcomed immigrants from Europe. However, on Angel Island, administrators detained immigrants from Asia. They interrogated the new arrivals. Officials set high qualifications for entry into the United States. At that time, the public took a general anti-Asian view. Officials deported many Asians back to Asia.

Today you can tour Camp Reynolds and the Immigration Station to learn more details about Angel Island history.

You should spend a day on Angel Island. It will rank as one of the more enjoyable outdoor experiences you can have in the San Francisco region. From the island, you see outstanding views of the Bridge and the San Francisco skyline. You can walk or bike the level perimeter road. Rent bikes readily in Tiburon or on Angel Island at Ayala Cove. A bus, called the Tram Tour, also operates continually on the island. The open-air tram tour includes recorded narration by people who participated in island history. Many visitors bring a picnic or buy lunch on the island and make a long day outing of the trip. Getting There

The only way to get to Alcatraz is by a operated from Pier 33 by Alcatraz Cruises. Ferries reside on The Embarcadero near the intersection of Bay Street, southeast of Fisherman’s Wharf. For reservations, call 415/981-7625 or visit http://www.alcatrazcruises.com/.

From late April to October, the “Island Hop” ferry stops at both Alcatraz and Angel Islands.

Another service to Angel Island—Angel Island-Tiburon Ferry—leaves from Tiburon, crossing Raccoon Strait (named for an early British ship that stopped here). Call or click for the current ferry schedule: 415/435-2131, http://angelislandferry.com/.

Be Sure to See

On Alcatraz, be sure to tour the main cell block, aided by the audio tour for explanation. Allow plenty of time to walk around at the higher elevations on Alcatraz and view the Bay scene, including the and the San Francisco skyline.

On Angel Island walk, bike, or tram around the island to see Camp Reynolds on the west side and the Immigration Station on the east side.

Best Time of Year

Warm and sunny times of the year are best for both islands. Note that in summer (June-August), weather in the Bay Area is often cold and foggy. Spring and fall usually offer clear skies, and fall (September-October) has the warmest temperatures. Angel Island’s concessionaire services are most vigorous April- October. Be aware that Alcatraz can be steep and slippery in blustery winter weather. The Bay is also more pleasant to cross in calm rather than rough weather. Lodging

The Parc 55 San Francisco www.parc55hotel.com and its kitty corner sister hotel Hilton San Francisco Union Square have Alcatraz graphics and memorabilia scattered through the lobbies.

You might consider another classic and classy San Francisco hotel–the historic Fairmont, on Nob Hill. The hotel sits where the great mansions of San Francisco accumulated until the Earthquake of 1906. Today the Fairmont Hotel, 950 Mason St., http://www.fairmont.com/san-francisco/ carries on in upscale grandeur.

Dining

The Hilton hotel restaurant Urban Tavern is a good place to eat. And the hotel’s 46th floor aerie, known as Cityscape, offers stunning 360-degree views of San Francisco. They even offer Alcatraz prison-themed cocktails that celebrate the draconian island heritage.

A restaurant steeped in detective literary history is John’s Grill (63 Ellis St., http://www.johnsgrill.com/). John’s Grill remains closed due to COVID-19 as of this update. Dashiell Hammett named this landmark eatery in his famous novel, The Maltese Falcon. Try the fresh seafood and shellfish, such as the a la marinara, or Sam Spade’s lamb chops.

For Further Information

Website for Alcatraz, part of the Golden Gate , is www.nps.gov/alcatraz.

The contact for Angel Island is Angel Island State Park https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=468.

The local tourism authority closest to Angel Island is Destination Tiburon at https://www.destinationtiburon.org/ Their Social Media hashtag is #hellotiburon.