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| A Woman's Directory For Travel and Life. WAVE Journey is your one stop online resource for women oriented businesses and services around the world. WAVE Journey is for every woman to enjoy. If you love to travel, cook, garden, read or revel in outdoor activities this website is for you. If you are looking to connect with other like-minded women or if you are interested in finding businesses or services that cater to women, WAVE Journey is your number one online resource. A Night at the Rock... ~ Article by Kelly Saunders Continued Next Page. |
| WAVE Journey |
| Women's Adventures, Vacations & Experiences ~ Your Journey Starts Here! |
Alcatraz Island in San Francisco is one of the most celebrated maximum-security
prisons in the world. Surrounded by water and almost impossible to escape, the
history behind this prison is captivating. Travel enthusiast and photographer,
Kelly N. Saunders, takes you on a journey inside the sinister prison walls.
prisons in the world. Surrounded by water and almost impossible to escape, the
history behind this prison is captivating. Travel enthusiast and photographer,
Kelly N. Saunders, takes you on a journey inside the sinister prison walls.
Alcatraz Island sits in the middle of the Bay
between San Francisco and Oakland, California
and is named for its stiff, rocky terrain. Alcatraz
Island has been distinguished and recognized in
history for several unique reasons. It was home
to the first ever functioning lighthouse and
United States Army outpost on the West Coast,
was a federal military penitentiary and was
occupied by the “Indians of All Tribe” alliance at
one point. It was operational as a prison for
almost thirty years during 1934 to 1963.
between San Francisco and Oakland, California
and is named for its stiff, rocky terrain. Alcatraz
Island has been distinguished and recognized in
history for several unique reasons. It was home
to the first ever functioning lighthouse and
United States Army outpost on the West Coast,
was a federal military penitentiary and was
occupied by the “Indians of All Tribe” alliance at
one point. It was operational as a prison for
almost thirty years during 1934 to 1963.
Wardens from the entire country were written and told of the prison’s facilities and its
ability to house their most unruly prisoners. Giving them the opportunity to free space in
their own overcrowded prisons, the wardens accepted almost immediately. Some of the
very first and most notorious prisoners included Al “Scarface” Capone, George “Machine
Gun” Kelly, Alvin Karpis, Robert Stroud aka The Birdman of Alcatraz and Floyd Hamilton.
ability to house their most unruly prisoners. Giving them the opportunity to free space in
their own overcrowded prisons, the wardens accepted almost immediately. Some of the
very first and most notorious prisoners included Al “Scarface” Capone, George “Machine
Gun” Kelly, Alvin Karpis, Robert Stroud aka The Birdman of Alcatraz and Floyd Hamilton.
You certainly would not have wanted to be one of the ill-fated souls who ended up
spending a lengthy jail term in this prison, but you also would not have wanted to break
the rigid rules while being housed there. Alcatraz was built specifically to be America’s
first and only “escape proof” prison of its day. Having very tiny cells, no windows, a taut
and structured daily routine, work days that included hard manual toil and virtually no
time to eat or rest, the prisoners were watched, counted and guarded at all times – but
unruly and disruptive prisoners were a daily occurrence. The punishments for
rebelliousness were strict and callous to the point of being cruel and unusual. Many
inmates testing those boundaries often found themselves locked in solitary confinement,
losing simple but necessary privileges, hard labor, little or no food and yes, even the ‘ol
ball and chain. These punishments had very apropos names as well.
spending a lengthy jail term in this prison, but you also would not have wanted to break
the rigid rules while being housed there. Alcatraz was built specifically to be America’s
first and only “escape proof” prison of its day. Having very tiny cells, no windows, a taut
and structured daily routine, work days that included hard manual toil and virtually no
time to eat or rest, the prisoners were watched, counted and guarded at all times – but
unruly and disruptive prisoners were a daily occurrence. The punishments for
rebelliousness were strict and callous to the point of being cruel and unusual. Many
inmates testing those boundaries often found themselves locked in solitary confinement,
losing simple but necessary privileges, hard labor, little or no food and yes, even the ‘ol
ball and chain. These punishments had very apropos names as well.
The Strip Cell was an empty, dark dungeon that had
one hole in the floor and left the prisoner naked and in
complete darkness for approximately one or two days
or more depending on the severity of the infraction.
There was also The Hole, which was not unlike the Strip
Cell in that it was completely empty and completely
dark. The Hole also meant that the prisoner would
more than likely endure physical and psychological
persecution as well. Those who were in the Hole spent
approximately 19 to 20 days in complete silence and
darkness and those who were lucky enough to survive
came out completely insane. Some would come away
from these punishments with many ailments, other than
being mentally crazed; they would suffer from arthritis,
starvation, dehydration, physical weakness and
sometimes complete or partial blindness.
one hole in the floor and left the prisoner naked and in
complete darkness for approximately one or two days
or more depending on the severity of the infraction.
There was also The Hole, which was not unlike the Strip
Cell in that it was completely empty and completely
dark. The Hole also meant that the prisoner would
more than likely endure physical and psychological
persecution as well. Those who were in the Hole spent
approximately 19 to 20 days in complete silence and
darkness and those who were lucky enough to survive
came out completely insane. Some would come away
from these punishments with many ailments, other than
being mentally crazed; they would suffer from arthritis,
starvation, dehydration, physical weakness and
sometimes complete or partial blindness.
Even though many of the inmates had committed heinous crimes and were mass
murderers, it’s no wonder that several of them tried and failed to run away from these
vicious sentences. There is, however, one account of an ingenious, successful plot to
escape the inescapable prison. In 1962, Allen West devised a meticulous plan to deceive
the guards and build a raft and life vests. West and four others worked for six months
creating dummies for the daily head count, chiseling away at the vent shafts in their cells,
stealing tools and continuing to work on their master plan. And then after their work was
complete, on the night of June 11, 1962 they took off through the vents up to the rooftop,
through the ventilator duct, to the edge of the building, climbing down steel pipes
alongside the cold, sterile wall, climbing over a twenty-foot fence and then were finally on
the shore of the Rock. They pushed off in the raft and were never seen or heard from
again. Forty years later the mystery of these men’s fate has yet to be discovered. It is
unknown whether they met their demise by the icy, rough waters of the bay, if they
starved to death or who knows. Out of the large roster of prisoners housed in Alcatraz
only thirty-six men tried to escape. Twenty-one of them were captured and sent to suffer
the consequences, five men (the Allen West culprits) were missing and have yet to be
found, six of them shot dead by the guards and two drowned in the bay.
murderers, it’s no wonder that several of them tried and failed to run away from these
vicious sentences. There is, however, one account of an ingenious, successful plot to
escape the inescapable prison. In 1962, Allen West devised a meticulous plan to deceive
the guards and build a raft and life vests. West and four others worked for six months
creating dummies for the daily head count, chiseling away at the vent shafts in their cells,
stealing tools and continuing to work on their master plan. And then after their work was
complete, on the night of June 11, 1962 they took off through the vents up to the rooftop,
through the ventilator duct, to the edge of the building, climbing down steel pipes
alongside the cold, sterile wall, climbing over a twenty-foot fence and then were finally on
the shore of the Rock. They pushed off in the raft and were never seen or heard from
again. Forty years later the mystery of these men’s fate has yet to be discovered. It is
unknown whether they met their demise by the icy, rough waters of the bay, if they
starved to death or who knows. Out of the large roster of prisoners housed in Alcatraz
only thirty-six men tried to escape. Twenty-one of them were captured and sent to suffer
the consequences, five men (the Allen West culprits) were missing and have yet to be
found, six of them shot dead by the guards and two drowned in the bay.
