Alcatraz Essay

“Welcome home, welcome to Alcatraz”(“Alcatraz History”). The island of Alcatraz, located off the west coast of San Francisco, was home to many of America’s most hardened criminals and gangsters. The island earned its name in 1775 from a Spanish Lieutenant by the name of Juan Manuel de Ayala who named it “La Isla de los Alcatraces” or “Island of the Pelicans” (Klein). What makes this place such an interesting attraction is its rich history, crazy prison life, and of course, its famous inmates. In 1847 the United States Military took interest in “The Rock” and began turning it into a military fortification (“Alcatraz History”). As the army’s first long-term prison it built a reputation as a tough facility because of its “harsh confinement and iron hand discipline” (“Alcatraz History”). The frigid waters surrounding made the prison virtually “escape proof.” Only thirty six ever tried and none succeeded. (Klein). A downfall to the isolation was the rising costs of operation. In 1934 the military closed down the prison and handed it over to the Department of Justice. This was the beginning of the federal

George “Machine Gun” Kelly arrived in 1934 as a part of the first group to come to the United States Penitentiary Alcatraz. Serving seventeen years he lived in the B-Block and worked in industries. Despite his being a hard criminal he was said to be a “model inmate” (“Alcatraz History”). Another extremely famous inmate is none other than Robert “Birdman of Alcatraz” Stroud. Prior to his 17 years in Alcatraz he served 30 years in Leavenworth where he gained his interest in birds. (“Birdman”). Perhaps the most well known of these inmates is the powerful gangster Al “Scarface” Capone who after being pinned with the murder of his rival McSwiggins, he gave himself up to the Chicago Police and was imprisoned in 1934 (“Alcatraz History”). Without these inmates Alcatraz could not have earned such a