Lessons on Alcatraz

My third day in San Francisco was focused a little more on sight-seeing than on the conference. Luckily I had a few sessions and a dinner to attend, but not much else during the day. I took the opportunity to visit Alcatraz Island. Some interesting things to learn below!

View from the boat. 

West side of the island.

Warning sign


When the large prison building was constructed, it was the largest steel-reinforced building in the world.

The building by the water was actually the social hall (complete with bowling alley) for the guards and their families who lived on the island. 

If you didn't know about the 19-month-long Native American occupation of Alcatraz in 1969-1971
be sure to look it up on Wikipedia!

 Alcatraz was actually the first permanent military installation on the West Coast. It was a military base, and later a military prison, before it became part of the Federal Penitentiary System.

View of the mainland from the island.

The cells in the prison were 5 feet wide by 9 feet long. 

C Block - usually seen in a lot of movies. 


Exercise yard.


View of Golden Gate Bridge from the island.


Home to the most famous criminals.

A former prisoner, now author of books on Alcatraz.





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