Concrete from Alacatraz Federal Penitentiary
Alcatraz Island is located in the San Francisco Bay, 1.5 miles offshore from San Francisco, California. Often referred to as "The Rock", the small island was developed with facilities for a lighthouse, a military fortification, a military prison (1868), and a federal prison from 1934 until 1963.
Alcatraz is most famous for the Federal Penitentiary that once operated on the island. The main prison building was built between 1910 and 1912. At that time, it was a United States Army military prison. The United States Department of Justice then acquired the island in 1933. Upon completing renovation to the buildings, the island became a prison of the Federal Bureau of Prisons in August 1934. Given the isolated location in the San Francisco Bay, coupled with the cold waters and strong currents of the bay, Alcatraz was believed to be inescapable and America's strongest prison.
Alcatraz was designed to hold prisoners who routinely caused trouble at other federal prisons. Over its operational lifespan, Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary housed 1576 of America's most ruthless criminals including Al Capone, Robert Franklin Stroud (the "Birdman of Alcatraz"), George "Machine Gun" Kelly, Bumpy Johnson, and Alvin "Creepy" Karpis. Prison staff and their families were provided housing and lived on the island. Ultimately, faced with high maintenance costs and a poor reputation, the Federal Bureau of Prisons closed Alcatraz in early 1963.
Today the National Park Service operates the penitentiary as a museum and a major tourist attraction, with almost 1.5 million annual visitors.
Alcatraz is most famous for the Federal Penitentiary that once operated on the island. The main prison building was built between 1910 and 1912. At that time, it was a United States Army military prison. The United States Department of Justice then acquired the island in 1933. Upon completing renovation to the buildings, the island became a prison of the Federal Bureau of Prisons in August 1934. Given the isolated location in the San Francisco Bay, coupled with the cold waters and strong currents of the bay, Alcatraz was believed to be inescapable and America's strongest prison.
Alcatraz was designed to hold prisoners who routinely caused trouble at other federal prisons. Over its operational lifespan, Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary housed 1576 of America's most ruthless criminals including Al Capone, Robert Franklin Stroud (the "Birdman of Alcatraz"), George "Machine Gun" Kelly, Bumpy Johnson, and Alvin "Creepy" Karpis. Prison staff and their families were provided housing and lived on the island. Ultimately, faced with high maintenance costs and a poor reputation, the Federal Bureau of Prisons closed Alcatraz in early 1963.
Today the National Park Service operates the penitentiary as a museum and a major tourist attraction, with almost 1.5 million annual visitors.
The specimen in my collection is a piece of concrete demolition debris that was generated during the stabilization and rehabilitation of the historic cellhouse. The specimen is approximately 3” X 2.25” X 1.5”, and weighs about 238 grams.
