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SELF-GUIDING INFORMATION "YOU ARE ENTITLED TO EOOD, CLOTHING AND MEDICAL ATTENTION. ANYTHING H is A privilege; Number 5, Institution Rules & Regulations, USP Alcatraz

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This rule was one of the realities of Ufe inside the walls of United States Penitentiary, . The subject of many movies and books. Alcatraz has become a symbol of America's dark side. From fiction rather than fact, we have stories of the and of some of . V the men who lived in its cells— ' • í • t Al "Scarface" Capone and Robert

' V'l.rMÍTii', • \f' V . Stroud, the "Birdman of Alcatraz," for example. The truth of Alcatraz has often been overlooked, lost in the fog of its myths. Use this brochure to discover some of Alcatraz s true stories.

I r^i Ul ALCATRAZ FORT

For thousands of years, Alcatraz was a lonely In 1850, a military board proposed island, occasionally visited, perhaps, by a three-point defensive strategy for San Ohlone and Miwokindians. Between the Francisco Bay. This approach required that a time the Spanish settled the Bay Area (1776) massive brick fort be built on each side of the and the Yankees took over from the Mexicans Golden Gate. Alcatraz, directly in line with (1846), the island was noted on maps but was ships entering the harbor, was selected as otherwise unused. The last Mexican governor the site of the third, smaller fortification. An of planned to erect a lighthouse army Board of Engineers surveyed the island on Alcatraz, but before it could be built, in 1852, and by 1853, construction had begun. California was annexed by the United States. By the time the Civil War broke out in Although the U.S. government had 1861, Alcatraz had 111 smoothbore cannon, begun to study possible uses for the island— rows of open gun emplacements carved out members of the U.S. Corps of Topographical of the island's slopes, and a fortified gateway, Engineers surveyed Alcatraz in 1847—it was or sally port, protecting the road to the brick the Gold Rush that spurred the building of citadel that crowned the island's highest the lighthouse and the fortification of its point. surface. The enormous wealth coming out The city and its rich port were tempting of the gold mines dramatically increased targets for Confedérate raiders, and Alcatraz, San Franciscos ship traffic as well as its along with Fort Point on the south side of population. By 1849, the city had ceased to the Golden Gate, was an important part of be a sleepy outpost of 300 souls and was a the U.S. Army's western defense plan. More bawdy, glittering home to more than 20,000 than 400 soldiers were stationed on the citizens. island, and cannon batteries guarded nearly every flank. The latest weapons, including smoothbore, 25-ton Rodman cannon that shot 15-inch, 440-pound cannonballs as Ijj farHowever, as three military miles, weretechnology installed advanced in 1864. quickly during the Civil War. Despite improvements, Alcatraz's defenses became obsoleta. In 1907, the army formally decommissioned Alcatraz as a fortification.

A Rodman cannon dominotes this 1868 photograph by Eadweard Muybridge.

10,000 years aqo Thesmall 3,000 years aqo Bay-area native 1775 Spanish explorer Juan sandstone peak that would later be peopie paddie their reed canees to Manuel de Ayala salís inte San called Alcatraz rises above ocean waters Alcatraz, hunting fot birds' eggs Francisco Bay and ñames its flooding the valley that becomes San and perhaps fishing from its shores. islands. Francisco Bay. ALCATRAZ PRISON

Alcatraz was a prison almost from the very Al "Scarface" Capone,"Doc" Barker, Alvin beginning. In 1859, 11 soldiers scheduled "Creepy" Karpis, George "Machine Gun" for confinement in the sally port basement Kelly, Floyd Hamilton, and Robert Stroud, arrived with the fort s first permanent i —I the "Birdman of Alcatraz"(who garrison. During the Civil War era, ^ actually conducted his famous bird soldiers convicted of desertion, theft, f studies when he was imprisoned assaulí, rape, and ; citizens ^ ^ at Leavenworth). Most of the accused of treason; and the crew of inmates were men who had proved a Confedérate ship were imprisoned to be problems in other prison here. The army also used Alcatraz populations—escape risks and as a place of incarceration for Hopi, troublemakers. Apache, and Modoc Indians captured /Al Caponeie Of the 14 attempted federal prison- during the various Indian wars of era escapes, the best known occurred the mid- to late nineteenth century in June 1962, when Frank Morris and for military convicts during the 0 ^ and brothers John and Clarence Spanish-American War (1898). f A Anglin slipped into the water. They When the fort was decommissioned ,^ ¿A used raincoats as floatation devices in 1907, regular army troops were ^ M and were presumably bound for San replaced by soldiers of the U.S. ^ m Francisco. Although their bodies were Military Guard.Within a year, never found, they are assumed to the army had begun tearing down I I have drowned. the citadel and building a huge "Crefffiepy" Korpísorpis As part of its security, the Bureau concrete cellhouse. In 1915, Alcatraz of deliberately restricted was renamed "United States Disciplinary visitors to "the Rock." It may have been Barracks, Pacific Branch"; it wasn't long this isolation, this apparent secrecy, that before conscientious objectors to World War I fueled stories of the prison s miserable living joined the Alcatraz inmate population. conditions. Although few of these stories were During the Great Depression of the 1930s, true—the prison was clean and the food was the newly created Bureau of Prisons became good—Alcatraz was undeniably a maximum- interested in the island as a place for a security facility. high-profile, maximum-security facility. Increasing maintenance and operating costs Transferred from the War Department to the led U.S. Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy Department of Justice, Alcatraz reopened to cióse Alcatraz in 1963. Prisoners were in 1934 as a federal penitentiary. Of the transferred to other federal correctional 1,545 men who did time on Alcatraz, only facilities, and Alcatraz was left to the care of a a handful were notorious—among them. lone custodian.

1847 John Charles Fremont, 1853 The United States 1854 The first lighthouse military governor of California, begins fortifying Alcatraz. on the Pacific Coast begins purchases Alcatraz for the operation on Alcatraz. United States from the Mexican government. AMERICAN INDIAN OCCUPATION

After the prison closed, Alcatraz was Interest in the occupation was fueled by managed as excess government property. Alcatraz's location and reputation as weli as During this time, a number of proposais by a growing national awareness of American for its futura use were discussed. One of Indian issues. Media coverage was generally these featured a commercial theme park in positive, and the occupation gathered celebration of space travel, public support. As time passed, however, suggested by wealthy this support began to Texan Lamar Hunt. Then, \ i erode. The struggle to raise money and the Indian poHtical activists eíFort required to keep selected Alcatraz as a place the occupiers supplied with food and water also caused the group's Alcatraz a total of three times, the first in 1964, — when they stayed for only t-f' four hours. Five years later,' on November 9, 1969, a p. small group landed on the ^|||M|B|Í|B^nH island and claimed it in the ñame of the "Indians of All Tribes," a landmark In the aftermath of the íneThe occupiers erected fnfhis feepee,e, symbolic of froditionGÍfroditioíiGl ^ inmtertr.balcooperat.on. , . I occupation, crews trom Nofíve Americon Ufe, os o sign oft their reclomafionreciomation ofor the , r > A full-scale occupation island. Photo,pfj JohnI/? Slovkek federal government s began 11 days later, on General Services November 20, and lasted for 19 months. Administration carne to the island and Echoing the 1626 purchase of Manhattan began bulldozing buildings into rubble piles, Island, the Indians of All Tribes offered to starting with the former correctional officers' buy Alcatraz from the federal government for residential apartments on the oíd parade $24 in beads, colored cloth, and other trade ground. Fortunately for future generations, goods. In "The Proclamation to the Great this stopped when Congress created the White Father and All His People," they noted Golden Gate National Recreation Area in that Alcatraz reminded them of an Indian 1972 and made Alcatraz a part of GGNRA, reservation because, among other things, "it administered by the National Park Service. is isolated from modern facilities, the soil is rockyand unproductive, and the land does not support game."

1892 Advancing mililary 191S Alcatraz formally becomes 1934 After transfer from the Wat technology makes Alcatraz's "Pacific Branch, U.S. Disclpiinary Department to the Department fortiíications obsoleie. Barracks." a military prison. of Justice, Alcatraz reopens as a federal penitentiary. ALCATRAZ NATURE

Salt-laden cold wind, rocky ground, and a trees. Aíter the federal prison was closed, scarcity of fresh water originally limited the the untended plants began to take over— number and types of plants on Alcatraz. today, they spill out of the gardens' original Covered with the thinnest skin of soil, boundaries, over cement walls, and down the it supported only sparse grass and a few slopes. shrubs. Tlie absence of four-footed predators, Modern Alcatraz is an evolving ecological however, made Alcatraz a haven for blrds, preserve. Now, the plants provide food and and they built nests and reared their young shelter for mice, slender salamanders, and here in great numbers. insects, which, in addition to the plants When military development began ¡n the themselves, attract birds. Hawks, ravens, mid-1800s, much of the rock blasted from geese, finches, and hummingbirds are the surface and sidas of the island during the frequent visitors to the island. Western gull construction of buildings and gun batteries and black-crowned night heron colonies are eventually carne to rest at its shoreline. This so active that during breeding season, the created tide pools that now provide homes National Park Service closes parts of the for thriving populations of crabs, sea stars, island to human visitors to protect the birds and other marine animals. In turn, these and encourage their success. Cormorants, creatures improve the diet of many of the sea- pigeon guillemots, and black oystercatchers going birds who are recolonizing Alcatraz. roost in more isolated sites on the island's The army also barged topsoil to Alcatraz rocky clifFs. from Angel Island, piling it around gun emplacements to protect them from incoming shells. This soft dirt provided a base for native California plants, whose seeds had hitchhiked to Alcatraz in the imported soil. The military also planted a variety of surface from sliding or blowing

A Viclorion-ero Alcoíroz garden party; note the brick Citadel ¡n the background.

1969 A 19-month occupa- 1972 Alcatraz designated as 1973 The National Park Service tion by the "Indians of All part of the newly created Golden develops interpretive programs, Tribes" begins. Gate National Recreation Area. and the first visitors arrive on Alcatraz. Children's Garden Fog Signal Buildíng

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Post Exchange & Officers' Club Model Industries Büilding

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Power Plant 1 THE DOCK

The original dock was completed on this site Originally designed as a two-story in 1854, and has been modified and enlarged building, construction was halted after several times since then. completion of the ground floor, and the The large, four-story building cannon became obsolete before they could be immediately opposite the dock was once mounted. Along today s dock, a row of brick a military barracks (see 5, Barracks/ casemates can still be seen. Apartments). The ground floor, where the The restored guard tower is a remnant theater, bookstore, and exhibits are located of the federal penitentiary era. At its height, today, was built between 1865 and 1867. With Alcatraz had as many as six towers manned virtually bomb-proof 10-foot-thick brick by armed guards, whose clear view made walls, this building was intended to house escape by prisoners extremely difficult. soldiers and cannon to guard the dock. 2 GUARDHOUSE & Military Chapel SALLY PORT

Built in 1857, the guardhouse is the oldest building on the island. The first Une of 1 -r defense against enemy landing parties, it could only be reached by an oak drawbridge that spanned a 15-foot-deep dry moat. Two gun ports for 24-pound howitzers flanked the lili entrance, and a chest-high wall with firing positions for riflemen capped the roof. Soldiers entered the fort through the guardhouse and its fortified sally port, a passageway with a heavy, iron-studded wooden door at each end. Rifle slits lined the thick brick walls between the doors. Any Guardhouse invader who made it through the first door had to run a gauntlet of gunfire to reach Alcatraz's guardhouse defenses were the inner door. Defenders could also gather never tested in battle. By 1862, the building inside the sally port in front of the sealed was used to hold suspected Confedérate inner door, and then burst out to drive off sympathizers and U.S. Army prisoners, and invaders. one of the howitzer rooms was converted to a jail cell, or stockade. 3 POST EXCHANGE & OFFICERS' CLUB

The Alcatraz Post Exchange (PX), or "Soldiers' Clubhouse," built in 1910, was the local general store, a place for soldiers and their families to buy food and personal goods. When Alcatraz became a federal prison in 1934, the PX was converted into a recreation hall and officers' club, complete with a dance floor, gymnasium, two-Iane bowling alley, umm and soda fountain. The building was one of several destroyed by fire in June 1970. 4 MILITARY CHAPEL

The small building on top of the guardhouse quarters for single officers, while the second and sally port was built by the army in floor housed workshops and a hat factory. It the early 1920s. Designed in the Mission may also have been used as a meeting room Revival style, its graceful Unes earned it its and schoolhouse. In 1934, after the military nickname,"The Chapel." Despite the ñame, families left and federal prison employees it is unlikely that the building was used for arrived, the building was remodeled into religious purposes. According to available housing for bachelor guards. records, the first floor served as living 5 BARRACKS/APARTMENTS

In 1905, the army used inmate labor to add complex included a small market and a three concrete stories on top of the original tiny post office. A room on the first floor, dock-level brick barracks built in the 1860s. originally used as a storage area for gun The finished structure, known as Building powder, served as an air raid shelter during 64, served as quarters for soldiers assigned to World War II. prison guard duty. An officers' club was also During the federal penitentiary era, housed there for a brief time. this end of the island was fenced off for the In preparation for civilian inmates, the security mnrrrrrmrrmTmTTT of the Bureau of Prisons remodeled the barracks I 1 1911 91F r lili rr'i i :fí :ir i building into apartments for correctional families. P^fllIffrTgi^tTlfliTT'ryTTTT'TTri^rn officers and their families. The apartment 6 WARDEN'S HOUSE

The warden's house commanded terraced areas, and a greenhouse the island. An impressive attached to one side of the Mission Revival-style home, n I 1 >1 house was used to grow it had seventeen large rooms, íi I 11 a variety of delicate and and Windows framing colorful plants. sweeping views of the A trusted inmate Golden Gate and the ■ served as both gardener lights of . - (kl I and "houseboy" to the Built in the 1920s, it was originally the home warden's family. of the military prison commandant. In 1970, fire swept through the When Alcatraz became a federal abandoned building, leaving the shell you penitentiary, James A. Johnston was the first see today. Red valerian and other plants now of four Bureau of Prisons wardens to occupy carpet the building's foundation with color in it. Ornamental gardens were planted in the spring, and outside the walls, roses bloom and fade each season.

7 LIGHTHOUSE

In 1852, the Gold Rush era was in full swing Through the changes, keepers and ship traffic to San Francisco was steadily tended the beacon. They lived in a increasing. Alcatraz Island, squarely in Une home at its base, and climbed the with the passage through the Golden Gate, tall tower to clean the lens and was a logical place for a lighthouse. On June (before electricity) to keep the 1,1854, the lighthouse keeper lit the oil oil lamps full. They also planted lamp for the first time, making the Alcatraz gardens to beautify the area. In light the first one in operation on the Pacific 1963, shortly after the federal Coast. prison closed, the lighthouse Over the years, the Alcatraz light has seen was automated and the last of many changes. Oil gave way to kerosene, the keepers left the island. The which in turn yielded to electricity. In 1909, keepers' quarters was one of the ¡ the 84-foot concrete lighthouse you see today buildings destroyed by fire in ¡ replaced the original. 1970, but the light, operated by the U.S. Coast Guard, continúes to shine.

■D CELLHOUSE

In 1907, the War Department decided that mixing the concrete that was the main Alcatraz would no longer serve as a defensive element of the building required fresh water, fort but would instead be used as a military not naturally available on the island. detention barracks. Plans were drawn for Early in 1912, many of those who helped a cellhouse that could house up to 600 build the cellhouse became the first prisoners prisoners. to live in it. When finished in 1912, the cellhouse Before it assumed its role as a maximum- was the largest steel-reinforced concrete security lock-up, this 1912 cellhouse was building in the world. It was the brainchild renovated by the Bureau of Prisons. Tool- and pride of Major Reuben B. Turner, proof bars replaced the flat, soft-steel barriers construction engineer and first commandant of the military prison, and gun galleries of the military prison. Central steam heat, were built at either end of the two main cell skylights, and electric lights contributed to its blocks(B and C). Outside, six guard towers reputation as a model, modern facility. were constructed, barbed wire was strung, Like every other building project on chainlink fences erected, and metal-detectors Alcatraz, the construction of the cellhouse installed. As time passed, further work was presented the engineers with a challenge. All done on the cellhouse; in 1939-1940, D Block materials and equipment had to be brought (also called the Segregation or Treatment from the mainland on barges. Labor was Unit) was extensively remodeled, and electric largely provided by unskilled inmates. Also, doors were installed.

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THE GARDENS

As you walk around the island, you can see When the southern end of the island is traces of ornamental gardens, particularly at open to visitors (during the birds' non-nesting the warden's house and on the western slope season), look for the faded, painted ñames below the cellhouse. In 2003, the Golden Cate that identify the various "children's gardens." National Parks Conservancy, National Park According to a former resident, these were Service, and Carden Conservancy began a planted in the 1950s by order of the Captain collaborative effort to preserve and restore of the Guards, who felt Alcatraz's children had the island's historie gardens. Volunteer crews too much free time and would benefit from the now work with Parks Conservancy staff year- experience of tending small plots of land along round to maintain them. the edge of the employee housing area. DID YOU KNOW?

The Alcatraz líghthouse was the first on Alcatraz has one of the largest western gull the Pacific Coast and has been in operation colonies on the northern California coast. since 1854. The only service interruption The only land mammal on Alcatraz— happened in 1970, when fire destroyed the aside from human visitors—is the deer líghthouse keepers' quarters and disrupted mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus), and power to the light. the California slender salamander After the Great San Francisco Earthquake (Batrachoseps attemiatus) is the only of 1906, 176 prisoners from San Francisco amphibian. jails were temporarily housed on Alcatraz. The sharks that swim in San Francisco Bay The exact location of 's cell and around the island are not "man-eaters"; is unknown. Part of his four and a half sand sharks are among the most common. years on Alcatraz were spent in a hospital www.nps.gov/alcatraz isolation cell. Our Thanks Robert Stroud,"the Birdman of Alcatraz," Golden Cate National Parks Conservancy gratefully had cañarles at Leavenworth Penitentiary acknowledges the assislance of the National Park but never had birds at Alcatraz. His Service in the creation of this publicalion. real nickname was "Bird Doctor of Copyright © 1996 by Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy. All rights reserved. Leavenworth." Photographs courtesy of the National Park Service/ The cellhouse was never filled to capacity. GGNRA archives unless otherwise noted. The average number of prisoners was 260, Text: Eileen Campbell, Michael Rigsby, and Tacy and the máximum was 302. There were 336 Dunham remodeled cells avallable. Cover design: Vivian Young Cover photo; Mike Long/Alamy There were no executions on Alcatraz, Interior design & illustration: Ormsby 8c Thickstun although there were fíve suicides and eight .

Prisoners remained on Alcatraz until they PARKS were no longer considered to be disruptive or incorrigible—an average of 8 to 10 years. PARKS FOR ALL FOREVER There were no female correctional Published by Golden Gate National Parks officers or prisoners on Alcatraz. Conservancy, the nonprofit membership Women prisoners could not be declared organization created to protect and revitalize the "incorrigible" until 1969, six years after the Golden Gate National Parks, enhance park visitor closure of Alcatraz. The only females on experiences, and build a community of people dedicated to preserving the parks for the future. the island were visitors and the correctional www.parksconservancy.org officers' wives and children. Printed on recycled paper AZ Discover English During the island's federal penitentiary usingsoy-bascd inks in ihc USA ¡sbm 97e-i88je6«is-2 days, the families who lived there rarely locked their doors. ISSN 978-1-833869-18-2 04/2018

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