Alcatraz Island in San Francisco, CA, is most famous for the federal prison there and the belief that it was impossible to escape from there. The fact that that prison was surrounded by water and that the water was cold and the current is strong, fueled the belief that Alcatraz was inescapable. Many people do not know that Alcatraz was first occupied as a fort and then a military prison. In the late 60s, the island was occupied for 19 months by the Indians of All Tribes in the name of freedom and native American civil rights.
The federal penitentiary operated there from 1934 to 1963. The prison was closed because operating costs were too high to continue. Alcatraz Island is now part of the National Park Service and they offer an audio tour of the building. The tour was well done and very informative. During the tour, you learn about the time that the prisoners overpowered the guards and held the prison hostage for a few days. You will also learn about the 3 men who did manage to escape the prison and swam or floated away from the Island. But did they survive, no one knows...
Touring Alcatraz Island gives you a strange feeling, the building stand abandoned and decaying or rusting. But at the same time, you feel like there are many stories still waiting to be told.
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