Every country has its own distinctive and colossal man-made landmarks. In Europe, London boasts Big Ben, while Paris is renowned for the romantic Eiffel Tower, and Italy is home to the intriguing Leaning Tower of Pisa. China flaunts its Great Wall, and Egypt is famous for its pyramids and sphinx. Popular man-made landmarks can be found all over the world. Even America has its own magnificent landmarks, including the Statue of Liberty and the Empire State Building. These landmarks exemplify beauty and excellence that are profoundly ingrained in their respective country’s history and identity.
America has numerous famous and notorious prisons that leave an eerie and disdainful mark on the country. Some well-known examples include Leavenworth (Hot House), Eastern State Penitentiary (Cherry Hill), Attica, San Quentin, Sing Sing (The Big House, Up the River, The Last Mile), and Folsom. These prisons are among the largest and most widely recognized in America. However, there is one prison that stands out above all others in terms of unprecedented popularity.
Alcatraz, also known as “The Rock,” has been featured in Hollywood movies and video games like Rush 2 and Tony Hawk Pro-Skater. The prison’s location, setup, and swift currents made it a maximum security facility. Situated one and a half miles offshore in the San Francisco Bay, Alcatraz Island was formed over fifteen thousand years ago during the last ice age (Davis 21).
The massive glaciers gradually melted, permanently isolating the island from any other land. A Spaniard named Juan Manual Ayala arrived on the island and named it “Isla de Los Alcatraces” or “Island of the Pelicans” (Davis 21). Eventually, “Alcatraces” evolved into Alcatraz. In 1853, Alcatraz was converted into a United States Army base (Davis 21). It was chosen as an ideal location to station numerous cannons in order to protect the settlers who had migrated to California due to the discovery of abundant gold in the San Francisco Bay area.
The U. S. Army constructed a lighthouse on Alcatraz Island, making it the first fully operational lighthouse on the West Coast. Despite being on the island to this day, the late 1850’s saw the erection of guardhouses, serving as the first jail on Alcatraz. By the 1860’s, the prison population had reached over 100 inmates. However, it wasn’t until 1933 that the Department of Justice, led by J. Edgar Hoover, assumed control and transformed Alcatraz into a federal penitentiary. James Johnston was appointed as the first warden of the Alcatraz Island Federal Penitentiary (Davis 21).
During its twenty-nine years of operation, a total of thirty-six men were involved in just fourteen escape attempts on Alcatraz (Hodak). The remote location of Alcatraz, over a mile and a half away from the nearest seashore, significantly contributed to this low number (Hodak). Out of the thirty-six escape attempts, only ten individuals managed to reach the water (Esslinger 2005). Notably, on December 16, 1937, Theodore Cole and Ralph Roe successfully made it to the shore. Sadly, a severe storm with strong Bay currents led authorities to believe that Cole and Roe were swept out to sea (Esslinger 2005).
Both John Bayless and James Boarman, Fred Hunter, Floyd Hamilton, and Harold Brest are listed as missing and presumed dead. On September 15, 1941, Bayless attempted to escape but quickly gave up after jumping into the cold Bay waters. On April 14, 1943, Boarman, Hunter, Hamilton, and Brest tried to escape as well. As they were swimming away, shots were fired at Hamilton, Brest, and Boarman. Boarman got hit by the bullets and sank, never to be found again. Breast and Hunter were both caught, while Hamilton was believed to have drowned, only to later be discovered hiding in a cave.
On September 29, 1958, two individuals named Clyde Johnson and Aaron Burgett made an attempt to escape Alcatraz by overpowering a guard. While Johnson was caught, Burgett’s body was discovered approximately two weeks later. The most well-known escape attempt occurred on June 11, 1962, involving brothers Clarence and John Anglin, along with Frank Morris. This incident gained significant attention, partly due to Clint Eastwood’s movie “Escape From Alcatraz.” To execute their escape plan, they constructed makeshift drills and enlarged the air vents to create a passage for themselves. Additionally, they created lifelike dummy heads using real hair obtained from the prison barbershop, which they placed in their beds at night.
Despite their use of raincoat life vests, the men who attempted to escape were not found, except for a badly deteriorated body in blue clothing that was impossible to identify (Esslinger 2005). According to Army records, no prisoner had ever successfully escaped from Alcatraz (Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology). The location of Alcatraz played a crucial role in its status as a maximum security prison, as evidenced by the numerous failed escape attempts. Additionally, the prison’s setup was another major factor in ensuring its maximum security status.
Alcatraz, which covered less than eighteen acres, was compact enough for the light tower and guard posts to oversee every part of the island. Warden James Johnston personally oversaw the renovation of Alcatraz to ensure that it was secure enough to imprison notorious criminals like George “Machine Gun” Kelly, Robert Stroud “The Birdman”, and the infamous Al Capone, who would soon call it home. Additionally, Johnston aimed to break up prison gangs by sending their leaders to Alcatraz.
Ensuring the management of rule-breaking and privilege-abusing prisoners was a top concern. Various available innovations, alongside full body metal detectors, were utilized. The incorporation of cyclone wire and barbed wire enclosed all areas. Additionally, utility tunnels and sewers were sealed, with the most notable change being the introduction of tool-proof steel cells to replace the previously employed soft-steel ones (Davis 21). These new cells measured only five feet by nine and accommodated a single inmate instead of the conventional two.
The implementation of individual cells at Alcatraz helped deter frequent attacks from dangerous inmates, and surprisingly, the prisoners actually found enjoyment in having their own cell (Esslinger 2005). The maximum capacity of Alcatraz was 312, but it never reached this number, with only about 250-270 prisoners at any given time. Though it may not seem significant, an additional forty or fifty inmates could pose a myriad of increased dangers, such as attacks or escape attempts. Another advantageous feature of Alcatraz was the frigid and rapid currents of the San Francisco Bay, which averaged temperatures of forty to fifty degrees Fahrenheit.
In water of this frigid temperature, the extremities, such as arms and legs, quickly become numb within a matter of minutes. Losing consciousness could occur as soon as fifteen minutes, and eventually hypothermia will develop. This is the reason why so many prisoners who managed to reach the water ended up drowning. It is worth noting that even in seventy-degree water, hypothermia can still occur if one remains in it for an extended period of time (theithacajournal.com). Additionally, the Bay water not only is extremely cold, but it also exhibits a powerful current. The currents surrounding Alcatraz Island can reach speeds of four to eight miles per hour or three to five knots (Davis 23).
