Alcatraz National Park, USA 6/1985. Alcatraz Island: a small island in San Francisco Bay, miles ( km) offshore from San Francisco, California, United States. By the mid-19th century Alcatraz was a lighthouse, a military fortification, and a military prison. By 1934, the island was converted into a federal prison, Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary. San Francisco Bay has strong currents around the island and cold-water temperatures made escape nearly impossible. The prison became one of the most notorious in American history. The prison closed in 1963, and the island is now a major tourist
Alcatraz National Park, USA 6/1985. Alcatraz Island: a small island in San Francisco Bay, miles ( km) offshore from San Francisco, California, United States. By the mid-19th century Alcatraz was a lighthouse, a military fortification, and a military prison. By 1934, the island was converted into a federal prison, Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary. San Francisco Bay has strong currents around the island and cold-water temperatures made escape nearly impossible. The prison became one of the most notorious in American history. The prison closed in 1963, and the island is now a major tourist attraction. At 9:40 am on August 11, 1934, the first batch of 137 prisoners arrived at Alcatraz. Al Capone, Robert Franklin Stroud (the "Birdman of Alcatraz"), George "Machine Gun" Kelly and Bumpy Johnson, and political terrorists such as Rafael Cancel Miranda, Mickey Cohen, Arthur R. "Doc" Barker, and Alvin "Creepy" Karpis. Karpis served more time at Alcatraz than any other inmate. Perhaps the most famous is the intricate escape, carried out on June 11, 1962, by Frank Morris, John Anglin, and Clarence Anglin. The three men are believed to have drowned in their attempt. In 1962, prisoner John Paul Scott made it to the shore. However, he was so weary that police found him unconscious and in hypothermic shock. Escape from Alcatraz with Clint Eastwood as Frank Morris 1979.
Size: 4452px × 6610px
Location: Alcatraz National Park CA USA
Photo credit: © paul jones / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: al, alcatraz, alvin, bay, capone, escape, federal, francisco, island, karpis, kelly, machine, national, park, prison, san, usa
