Alcatraz History

A few more images from the camera that was a prop in the film "A Lot Like Love." I purchased the "Oliver" wardrobe after the film came out in the mid-2000s and it proved to be a great camera to shoot Alcatraz before the digital age hit full force! I love the look of traditional film grain and over the course of several months shot around 50 rolls of film with it. #Alcatraz #AlcatrazHistory #NationalParkService #SanFrancisco #History #TheRock #GreatEscapes #SanFrancisco

An image of Broadway with the B-Block stairwell visible on the right. This is from the last series of photos I took using a traditional film camera (2005). #Alcatraz #AlcatrazHistory #NationalParkService #SanFrancisco #History #TheRock #GreatEscapes #SanFrancisco

A cartoon or self caricature by Olin Stevens (127-AZ) located inside Cell #51 of the Alcatraz A-Block section. Stevens was serving a 28-year sentence for postal robbery and drug related charges. #Alcatraz #AlcatrazHistory #NationalParkService #SanFrancisco #History #TheRock #GreatEscapes #SanFrancisco

A colorized Bettman Archive photo of Senior Officer Melvin R. Kidney, shown inside the Alcatraz control center in March of 1956. #Alcatraz #AlcatrazHistory #NationalParkService #SanFrancisco #History #TheRock #GreatEscapes #SanFrancisco

November 1960 issue

Another colorized photo. You can see the fences with barbed wire around the recreation yard (playground), the water tower behind the hospital / dining room bein...g part of the cell building. An armed guard who controls a few inmates probably playing dominoes / bridge. In the background we see the hill tower and the model tower on the roof of old industries building. See more

A variety of Alcatraz artwork including images from a San Francisco art show and exhibition from 1949, and cell photos from 1956. The original art show caption read: "ALCATRAZ ART DISPLAY - Twenty-one Alcatraz prisoners contributed works to the third annual outdoor show of the San Francisco Art Commission which opened in Union Square Sept. 29. Here a small part of the thousands of visitors who thronged to the show view some of the prisoners interpretations of what they see from their cell windows. The work of the convicts appearing in the show is on sale and selling briskly. Proceeds will be deposited to the artists prison account." #Alcatraz #AlcatrazHistory #NationalParkService #SanFrancisco #History #TheRock #GreatEscapes #SanFrancisco

An old photo of the military years. Circa 1910. Look the stairs from parade ground to the lighthouse keeper's house.The house on the left was demolished later. https://www.alcatrazhistory.com/rock/rock-036.htm

September 29 is the birthday of one of the first 4 Lieutenants to open Alcatraz in 1934, Richard Otis Culver. Culver was born in 1902 in Mountain Creek, AL. At ...15 years old, he enlisted in the Marine Corps to serve in WWI and stayed in the Corps throughout the 1920's. In 1930, Culver shifted careers and began work for the Bureau of Prisons at the Federal Reformatory in Petersburg, VA. While as a guard there, he married Nancy Chapman (1908-1999) in 1932. In 1934, he was transferred to Alcatraz as one of Warden Johnston's 4 handpicked Lieutenants (Along with Paul J. Madigan, Edward J. Miller, and Edward O. Starling). While at Alcatraz, Lt. Culver gained a comical level of notoriety among the island's residents as he was responsible for posting a memo which voiced the administration's annoyance at the many house cats which were freely roaming the island. His "vendetta" was even a source of amusement for the inmates, such as in the illustration drawn by one of them. In 1936, Lt. Culver moved Jack Allen (#211) to D-block solitary on orders from Assistant Warden Shuttleworth. Allen had been shouting throughout the night for Dr. Hess to see him though another doctor gave the guards instructions not to bother him and to give Allen aspirin. Early the next morning, Allen was found to be seriously ill and was taken to the hospital, where ulcers where found on his stomach and an attempted surgery was made. However, Allen contracted pneumonia and died hours later on January 17, 1936. Allen's death was the prison's first and sparked a massive prisoner protest in response. In 1938, Lt. Culver witnessed the May 1938 escape attempt of James Lucas, Rufus Franklin, and Thomas Limerick from the neighboring Laundry building. He became one of the prison's witnesses at the murder trial of the Lucas & Franklin afterwards. After 4 years on the island, Culver transferred to the Prison Camp in Mill Point, WV where he became Captain of the Guard. Between 1941-43, he served as Associate Warden of FCI Tallahassee. Afterwards, he returned to the Marines as a Captain and served at a number of posts stateside during WWII. After he was discharged, he became Associate Warden/ Warden of FCI Ashland, KY between 1946-51 and Warden of the Petersburg Reformatory from 1951-56. Finally, he was appointed Director of the Florida Prison System in 1956 and kept the position for 3 years before he was fired following disagreements with other Government officials. Culver died June 21, 1983 in Dothan, AL. His son, Richard O. Culver Jr. (1936-2014), also became a marine and had a decorated career, being awarded the Silver Star in Vietnam and helping to found the Quantico Marine Corps Sniper School among other distinctions.

Machine Gun Kelly and his wife Katheryn are captured on the date in 1933. George Kelly Barnes (better known as Machine Gun Kelly) was an early era gangster from Memphis, Tennessee, active during the prohibition era. His nickname came from his favorite weapon, a Thompson submachine gun. He is best known for the kidnapping of the oil tycoon and businessman Charles F. Urschel in July 1933, from which he and his gang collected a $200,000 ransom. Urschel had collected and left con...siderable evidence that assisted the subsequent FBI investigation, which eventually led to Kelly's arrest in Memphis, Tennessee, on September 26, 1933. His crimes also included bootlegging and armed robbery. Kelly would arrive on Alcatraz less than a year later on September 4, 1934. #Alcatraz #AlcatrazHistory #NationalParkService #SanFrancisco #History #TheRock #GreatEscapes #SanFrancisco #TodayinHistory

Alcatraz from a 1950s Kodak slide:

An Alcatraz meal menu from this date in 1948. Also included is a series of fun facts from panels that were once posted in the Mess Hall by NPS and the Golden Gate Parks Conversancy staff. #Alcatraz #AlcatrazHistory #NationalParkService #SanFrancisco #History #TheRock #GreatEscapes #SanFrancisco #TodayinHistory

February 6, 1912: The large cement cellblock on Alcatraz Island opens on this date in 1912. The new cellhouse is designed to house six hundred inmates. The cellhouse building was the largest steel-reinforced concrete structure in the world at the time of its construction. #Alcatraz #AlcatrazHistory #AlcatrazIsland #AlcatrazCruises #NationalParkService #SanFrancisco #History #HistoryChannel #TheRock #EscapefromAlcatraz #GreatEscapes

Ralph Roe was born on this date in 1906. Roe along with Ted Cole escaped from Alcatraz and their fates remain unknown. You can read more about their escape at the link below: #Alcatraz #AlcatrazHistory #AlcatrazIsland #AlcatrazCruises #NationalParkService #SanFrancisco #History #HistoryChannel #TheRock #EscapefromAlcatraz #greatescapes

Just got news that Jerry Clymore (1339-AZ) has passed away. He served time on The Rock between 1958 and 1963, and was put on trial for stabbing James Gilliam (1...361-AZ) in the shower room in 1960. Clymore pleaded self defense and was acquitted. I interviewed Jerry in 2016 for my book The Last Survivors and found him to be very friendly and thoughtful. He really turned his life around after leaving prison for good in the mid 1980’s. See more

Alcatraz in 1957 from a vintage Kodachrome slide. Most interesting is not the smoke from the powerhouse, but rather the bakery (slightly visible at the edge of the cellhouse). #Alcatraz #AlcatrazHistory #AlcatrazIsland #AlcatrazCruises #NationalParkService #SanFrancisco #History #HistoryChannel #TheRock #EscapefromAlcatraz #GreatEscapes

January 28, 1890: Robert F. Stroud, the Birdman of Alcatraz is born on this date in Alcatraz History. #Alcatraz #AlcatrazHistory #AlcatrazIsland #AlcatrazCruises #NationalParkService #SanFrancisco #History #HistoryChannel #TheRock #EscapefromAlcatraz #GreatEscapes

Curtis Duke, 512-AZ, is seen working inside the Mat Shop in 1940. Alcatraz produced dense rubber floor mats for the Navy and Army. The mats for the Navy were used on the decks of ships and porch mats for Army facilities. Curtis was serving a 10-year sentence for robbery of a post office and was released in 1943. #Alcatraz #AlcatrazIsland #NationalParkService #SanFrancisco #AlcatrazHistory #History #HistoryChannel #TheRock #EscapefromAlcatraz

On this day in Alcatraz History on December 4, 1955, Sidney Moore (895-AZ) is stabbed to death by James Bullock (819-AZ) in the recreation yard. Moore approached Bullock who sitting at a table playing a card game with various other cons including Jimmy Grove, and was described as making harassing comments and "threatening gestures" towards Bullock. A fatal mistake on Moore's part as Bullock pulled a shiv and viciously stabbed Moore who succumbed to his injuries. #Alcatraz #AlcatrazIsland #NationalParkService #SanFrancisco #AlcatrazHistory #History #HistoryChannel #TheRock #EscapefromAlcatraz

On the date (December 3rd) in 1940, Rufus McCain is stabbed to death by Henry (Henri) Young on the second floor of the Model Industries Building. Following the stabbing, Young was quoted as stating: "I hope I killed the son of a bitch." McCain was 37 years of age and the first inmate to be murdered on Alcatraz during the federal years. #Alcatraz #AlcatrazIsland #NationalParkService #SanFrancisco #AlcatrazHistory #HistoryChannel #TheRock #EscapefromAlcatraz #History

Ellsworth "Bumpy" Johnson (AKA: the King of Harlem) is born on Halloween, October 31, 1908. #Alcatraz #AlcatrazIsland #NationalParkService #SanFrancisco #AlcatrazHistory #HistoryChannel #TheRock #EscapefromAlcatraz #History

A modern view inside D-Block. #Alcatraz #AlcatrazIsland #NationalParkService #SanFrancisco #AlcatrazHistory #HistoryChannel #TheRock #EscapefromAlcatraz #AlcatrazCruises #History

I love this piece with Ranger Benny. Honestly, he’s one of the kindest and best human beings I’ve come to know on Alcatraz and he’s been on the island longer than some of the convicts!

A view from the second tier of B-Block looking toward the A-Block section. #Alcatraz #AlcatrazIsland #NationalParkService #SanFrancisco #AlcatrazHistory #HistoryChannel #TheRock #EscapefromAlcatraz #History

The Hill Tower circa 1974-1976 about a year after the rusted catwalk collapsed. I took this photo in my childhood using a Pentax K1000 camera during my very first trip to the island. Only the Dock Tower still stands today... #Alcatraz #AlcatrazIsland #NationalParkService #SanFrancisco #AlcatrazHistory #HistoryChannel #History #TheRock #EscapefromAlcatraz

New article on the gardens on Alcatraz by National Geographic. Please drop your Alcatraz garden pictures below if you feel like sharing!

October 21, 1941: Ennis Smiddy, 243-AZ, dies on Alcatraz from liver disease attributed to untreated Syphilis and Malaria. #Alcatraz #AlcatrazIsland #NationalParkService #SanFrancisco #AlcatrazHistory #History #TheRock #alcatrazcruises #EscapefromAlcatraz #HistoryChannel

From the original news caption: "Senior Officer Melvin Kidney, seen through the 2-inch laminated bullet proof glass that encloses his post at the control center of Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary in San Francisco Bay, is shown March 14, 1956. He supervises all communications and has custody of arms, ammunition, tear gas, etc." #Alcatraz #AlcatrazIsland #NationalParkService #SanFrancisco #AlcatrazHistory #TheRock #EscapefromAlcatraz #History #HistoryChannel

Miran Thompson, a principal in the 1946 Battle of Alcatraz, arrives at Alcatraz on this date in 1945. He was transferred from USP Leavenworth along with Roy Stallings. Thompson was serving a life sentence for the murder of a police officer in the State of Texas, and Stallings a 15-year sentence for "Transportation of a Stolen Vehicle and Illegal Possession of Firearms, Assault & Attempted Escape." Thompson was executed in the Gas Chamber in December of 1948 for his role in th...e Battle of Alcatraz which resulted in the deaths of two Correctional Officers. Stallings was working in the Alcatraz kitchen as a dishwasher during the 1946 events and alleged to have slipped a knife to Marvin Hubbard (who was also working in the kitchen) during the early stages of the escape. He was transferred back to Leavenworth in October of 1953. #Alcatraz #AlcatrazIsland #NationalParkService #SanFrancisco #AlcatrazHistory #History #TheRock #EscapefromAlcatraz #History #HistoryChannel

October 12, 1958: Fourteen days following his disappearance as part of a failed escape attempt, Aaron Burgett's body was spotted by Road Tower Officer Lyndon Cropper floating a few hundred feet from the north eastern end of the island. The desperate details of the evidence was documented in the Warden's report, reading in part: "The face was beyond recognition because of the missing flesh and the damaged condition probably due to decomposition and sea life... The body was clo...thed in a heavy T undershirt, white cotton shorts, two pairs prison trousers, a heavy khaki undershirt with the legs through the sleeves and the bottom pinned around the waist, three pairs of socks, and brown low-cut work shoes. A broken piece of plywood was secured to the bottom of the left shoe by means of electricians tape and a copper wire as a makeshift flipper to possibly aid in swimming." #Alcatraz #AlcatrazIsland #NationalParkService #SanFrancisco #AlcatrazHistory #History #TheRock #EscapefromAlcatraz #History #HistoryChannel

AZ-300 Victor Lustig (1890-1947) The man who sold the Eiffel Tower, twice "The air was as crisp as a hundred dollar bill, on April 27, 1936. A southwesterly bre...eze filled the bright white sails of the pleasure boats sailing across the San Francisco Bay. Through the cabin window of a ferryboat, a man studied the horizon. His tired eyes were hooded, his dark hair swept backwards, his hands and feet locked in iron chains. Behind a curtain of grey mist, he caught his first dreadful glimpse of Alcatraz Island. Count Victor Lustig, 46 years old at the time, was America’s most dangerous con man. In a lengthy criminal career, his sleight-of-hand tricks and get-rich-quick schemes had rocked Jazz-Era America and the rest of the world. In Paris, he had sold the Eiffel Tower in an audacious confidence gamenot once, but twice. Finally, in 1935, Lustig was captured after masterminding a counterfeit banknote operation so vast that it threatened to shake confidence in the American economy. A judge in New York sentenced him to 20 years on Alcatraz." (The Smithsonian Magazine)

An aerial photograph of Alcatraz in 1932, prior to becoming a federal prison. #Alcatraz #AlcatrazIsland #NationalParkService #SanFrancisco #AlcatrazHistory #History #TheRock #EscapefromAlcatraz #History #HistoryChannel

James Quillen, 586-AZ, passed away on this date in 1998. Quillen had been convicted of kidnapping and attempted escape. He was transferred to Alcatraz in August of 1942 and served there until 1952. Quillen later authored Alcatraz from Inside, a compelling memoir of life on the Rock, and appeared frequently as a guest author on Alcatraz following its opening as a national park. He passed away on October 6, 1998, following a short illness and is interred at the Vacaville-Elmira Cemetery in Northern California. #Alcatraz #AlcatrazIsland #NationalParkService #SanFrancisco #AlcatrazHistory #History #TheRock #EscapefromAlcatraz #History #HistoryChannel

D-Block following the major remodel in 1941. #Alcatraz #AlcatrazIsland #NationalParkService #SanFrancisco #AlcatrazHistory #History #TheRock #EscapefromAlcatraz #History #HistoryChannel