Alcatraz Island sits in the middle of San Francisco Bay, serving as a haunting reminder of America’s troubled past. Once a military fort, then a federal prison, Alcatraz has housed some of the most notorious criminals in U.S. history. But did anyone ever escape from the “inescapable” Alcatraz? Let’s dive into the history of this infamous island.

Alcatraz first opened as a federal prison in 1934, housing some of the most dangerous criminals of the time, including Al Capone, George “Machine Gun” Kelly and Robert Stroud “The Birdman of Alcatraz” . The prison was known for its strict security measures, with guards patrolling the perimeter and armed towers monitoring the prisoners. But despite its reputation as an “escape-proof” prison, a few daring individuals attempted to break free.

1. The “Battle of Alcatraz” – In June of 1946, a group of prisoners attempted to take control of the prison in a daring escape attempt. The attempted takeover resulted in a two-day standoff with guards and ultimately ended with the deaths of three prisoners and two hostages.
2. The “Anglin Brothers and Frank Morris” – In June of 1962, three prisoners – John and Clarence Anglin and Frank Morris – disappeared from their cells and were never seen again. It is widely believed that they attempted to escape using homemade rafts and flotation devices, but their fate remains a mystery.
3. The “Miracle Man” – In December of 1962, Joseph Cretzer and Arnold Kyle attempted to escape by overpowering guards and taking hostages. The attempt was quickly thwarted, but Cretzer gained the nickname “Miracle Man” for his daring attempt.
4. The “Flood Tunnel” – In May of 1963, Elmore Bollinger attempted to escape by digging a tunnel in his cell and accessing the prison’s utility tunnels. Bollinger was caught and his attempt was foiled, but it remains one of the most inventive escape attempts in Alcatraz history.

In November of 1969, a group of Native American activists, led by Richard Oakes and brothers Dennis and Clyde Bellecourt, occupied Alcatraz Island for 19 months. . The activists claimed the island under an old provision in U.S. law known as the “Discovery Doctrine,” which stated that any unoccupied land could be claimed by indigenous people.

The takeover of Alcatraz took place several years after the island had been declared surplus federal property and was in the process of being transferred to the city of San Francisco for use as a park. This transfer was part of a larger trend of federal land transfers to local governments in the mid-1960s, which aimed to transfer ownership of surplus federal lands to state and local governments for use as parks, wildlife refuges, and other recreational areas. Alcatraz was transferred to the National Park Service in 1972 as part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, which was established to protect and preserve the scenic, cultural, and recreational resources of the San Francisco Bay Area.

Alcatraz offers day and night tours. We took the day tour, since the night one was sold out. You should allot 2 1/2 to 3 hours for the whole trip, unless you opt to stay for any special Ranger or Docent tours. The audio tour is a must and is narrated by former guards and prisoners.