In August 1934, the US government made the island a federal prison. It became a prison for those who continuously caused trouble at other federal prisons. The first batch of prisoners arrived on August 11.
Most of the prisoners in the Alcatraz Island were extremely notorious. (Photo credit: depositphotos)
New Delhi: Alcatraz is a small island in California in the United States. At first glance, it may seem like any other island in the world. However, the place has a chilling history. Once upon a time, the island was one of the most terrifying places in the US. Today, it has become a famous tourist destination in the country. In this article, we will learn more about Alcatraz Island which was once a dreaded place.
Why was the Alcatraz Island famous?
In 1846, a person named Julian Workman bought the island and built a lighthouse there. Later, the island was bought on behalf of the US government by John C Fremont, the Military Governor of California at that time. In 1850, President Millard Fillmore set aside Alcatraz Island for military purposes. The US Army began to form plans to position coastal batteries on Alcatraz Island and the United States Army Corps of Engineers began to fortify the island in 1853. The work continued till 1858 when the initial version of Fort Alcatraz was complete.
Alcatraz Island as a federal prison
In August 1934, the US government made the island a federal prison. It became a prison for those who continuously caused trouble at other federal prisons. The first batch of prisoners arrived on August 11 and they were escorted to Alcatraz prison amid high security and 60 special FBI agents, U.S. Marshals and railway security officials.
Most of the prisoners in the Alcatraz Island were extremely notorious. The staff of the federal prison were highly trained in security. It held some of the most notorious criminals in American history, including Al Capone, George ‘Machine Gun’ Kelly, Bumpy Johnson and Robert Franklin Stroud. Political terrorists like Rafael Cancel Miranda, who attacked the US Capitol building in 1954 were also held there. It also provided housing for the Bureau of Prisons staff and their families.
The prison on Alcatraz Island operated till 1963 and in that 29 years, no prisoner managed to escape that place successfully. A total of 36 prisoners made 14 escape attempts, but all those attempts were eventually foiled. On May 2, 1946, a failed escape attempt by six prisoners led to the Battle of Alcatraz. On June 11, 1962, Frank Morris, Clarence Anglin and John Anglin tried to escape from the prison and are believed to have drowned in their attempt. The prison was shut down due to high operational costs and poor condition of the building. Today, it is a popular tourist place and museum dedicated to its time as a federal penitentiary.
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