Years ago, when I visited the West Coast USA for the first time, it struck me as quite odd that whenever I would ask someone for recommendations of things to do in San Francisco, everyone’s first response was always, and without fail, Alcatraz. Known mainly as the infamous and short-lived maximum security federal penitentiary, that’s however only a short (albeit the most notorious!) part of Alcatraz’ history, and I have to agree that it’s an absolute must-see when in the Bay area.
Located in San Francisco Bay, about 2km offshore from San Francisco, the name is derived from the archaic Spanish word “alcatraces”, meaning “pelicans”, so named by the first Spaniard to chart the Bay. Alcatraz Island is great for bird-watchers, as its steep cliffs provide nesting and roosting grounds for many native species. These bird habitats are protected by the National Park Service, who manage the entire island.
A shaky panorama taken from the island, from a time before iPhones could take seamless ones…
Since becoming a National Historic Landmark, the only way to legally visit the island is through Alcatraz Cruises at Pier 33, the official provider of Alcatraz tour tickets. There are many different tour options with concessions for children and seniors – we chose the Day Tour, which includes the ferry round-trip to the island and an audio tour which I cannot recommend enough (it’s available in different languages). The price has gone up a tenner since our visit five years ago, but I’d still argue it’s worth it, and if you want to visit the island, you don’t really have a choice – book well in advance, as the number of visitors allowed per day is limited. The ferry ride takes about 15 minutes one way, and provides fantastic views of the San Francisco skyline.
The first thing you’ll see as you’re approaching the island is the lighthouse at the very top of the cliff, which is the oldest operating lighthouse on the West Coast. It looks like the tallest structure on the island when viewed from afar, but it’s shorter than the water tower and just looks much taller because it lies on higher ground! Before being the site of the federal penitentiary it is known for, Alcatraz was actually an early military fortification during the Civil War, and a military prison holding POW until 1933, when it became the federal prison it’s now remembered for.
There is only one docking station on the island, and the roads and walkways, as can be surmised by looking at the island, are pretty steep. The distance from the dock to the cellhouse is only a quarter mile, but the elevation change is the equivalent of walking up a 13-story building, so take it slow, especially in hot weather. The suggested visiting time is about 3 hours, including the ferry rides and audio tour; I’d agree that it’s a perfectly good estimate! The grounds around the prison are beautiful, and you’re free to explore them for as long as you’d like and catch any of the ferries back. Before taking the trek up, it’s worth checking out the orientation video shown every half hour, featuring historical footage of the island.
Walking up to the cellhouse, you’ll notice lingering graffiti on the water tower and on official signs – a group of Native Americans and their supporters occupied Alcatraz for nineteen months at the end of the 60s, before being forcibly removed by the government. The group called themselves Indians of All Tribes, and at the height of the occupation, there were around 400 living on the island. According to them, under an old treaty between the U.S. and the Lakota, all abandoned federal land was to be returned to the Native people who once occupied it; since Alcatraz penitentiary had been closed in 1963 and the island declared surplus federal property the following year, the activists felt that it qualified for a reclamation.
At the top of the hill, you’ll finally have reached the cellhouse. Alcatraz served as a maximum security federal prison for almost thirty years, and housed some of America’s most infamous and ruthless criminals, such as Al Capone. I really can’t stress enough how worthwhile the audio tour is: It’s the best audio-guide I’ve taken to-date, and unlike any other; it felt almost like a documentary, except you’re walking around seeing everything yourself. It’s full of interesting facts and includes stories told by actual former inmates and correctional officers; it’s included in the price of admission, so don’t miss out!
Alcatraz was designed to hold troublesome inmates from other federal prisons; the buildings were modernized to meet the requirements of a high security prison prior to opening, and with the cold waters and strong currents of the Bay, it was believed to be escape-proof. This didn’t stop some inmates from trying though; over its 29 years of operation, a total of 36 prisoners made 14 escape attempts. The year before the prison closed, three inmates would take part in one of the most famous and spectacular escape attempts in American history: Using life-like decoys to fool guards during headcounts, they slipped into the fog ridden waters of the Bay on a make-shift raft and were never seen again – it’s still a topic of debate whether their escape was successful, or if they drowned and their bodies were swept out to sea.
Alcatraz closed its doors in 1963, faced with high maintenance costs compared to other prisons, badly eroded buildings due to salt water saturation, and a poor reputation in part due to the sewage released into the Bay… and due to alleged hauntings. Alcatraz is supposedly one of the most haunted places in America, with prisoners and officers reporting a wide range of alleged paranormal activity, such as whispering in cells, locked doors shutting, phantom figures in corridors, and the sounds of musical instruments and sewing machines. Native Americans purportedly encountered evil spirits on the island long before it became a federal prison, and even author Mark Twain commented on the island’s eerie atmosphere. Preposterous legends, of course, but walking those corridors, it doesn’t strike one as such an outlandish thing to come up with on a dark and windy night trapped on the Rock…
The former prison is often a site for art exhibits; at the time of our visit there was a great photography exhibit of portraits of death row inmates with short quotes and facts about them below; unfortunately I can’t remember the artist, but it was really touching, humanizing work, although clearly very divisive from the written comments visitors could leave behind on post-its. There’s a gift shop on the pier. I don’t know, I find it horribly bad taste? You can get a jailer key replica, a “psycho ward” beanie, or a magnet to remind your kids that they are entitled to food, clothing, shelter and medical attention, but everything else they get is a privilege… but why would you want to?
As odd as the recommendation seemed in the beginning, I have to admit that our Alcatraz visit was one of the highlights of our San Francisco visit, and I can heartily recommend it for a half-day activity!
watercolorstain 