The name Alcatraz still elicits thoughts about the shady characters kept in isolating (and poor) conditions that made the former federal prison infamous. Alcatraz was nicknamed “The Rock” for its fortified island location in the San Francisco Bay. It was home to some of the most dangerous criminals and became a cultural phenomenon over the years. Since its days as an active penitentiary, the prison has become a relic of some of America’s dark past. Wondering why Alcatraz closed and why it still even exists? Well, you wouldn’t be the first.

Despite the atrocities that occurred there, over the last few decades, Alcatraz Island has offered tours of the grounds to locals and visitors alike year-round. But recently, this prison has (once again) made headlines as the Trump Administration makes another unexpected move. POTUS has proposed that the high-security prison be opened once again. This has sparked widespread controversy, but it has also made people wonder about the history behind the prison.

When did Alcatraz shut down, and why?

A road in San Francisco overlooking Alcatraz prison — (Clement Falize/Unsplash)

According to The Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP), Alcatraz officially closed as a federal penitentiary on Mar. 21, 1963, after 29 years. This shutdown happened for surprising reasons, as one of the prison’s biggest strengths, as a high-security and hard-to-reach federal prison, became its greatest downfall. The fact that Alcatraz is located on an island contributed to the exorbitant costs of maintaining the facility. As BOP cites, the building needed to be renovated, which would have cost a cool $3-5 million on top of the facility’s daily operational bills. The latter included food and supplies being delivered to Alcatraz by boat.

Basically, the federal government cut its losses and decided to close Alcatraz because it no longer wanted to pay. This decision was made after transforming the former military site into a prison in 1934, as CNN reports, so it had a relatively short run. With the prison closed, the island no longer had a purpose. But in 1972, Alcatraz Island became a part of the National Park Service unit. After a bit less than a year, the island became available to the general public. Since then, it has become one of the most popular sites of its kind.

Did the Alcatraz escapees survive?

While Alcatraz was known for its high security, there were some hiccups over the years. As the FBI notes, during the prison’s heyday, there were at least 14 escape attempts. With the cold Pacific Ocean surrounding the prison and strict security protocols in place, escaping Alcatraz seemed like an impossible feat. The majority of these attempts ended in prisoners either dying due to the conditions or being recaptured – but there were three inmates whose whereabouts still remain a mystery.

As inmate Allen West told the FBI after aiding and being abandoned by the escapees, their plan was elaborate. Brothers Clarence and John Anglin and Frank Morris were discovered missing on June 12, 1962. All of them had a history of prison escape attempts, but what brought the trio together was Morris’ intelligence. As fate would have it, the trio already knew each other from other prison sentences and were assigned to connected cells.

Over time, they plotted to escape Alcatraz and even created a secret workshop to build the supplies they needed. FBI reports show they used stolen materials like rain jackets to create rubber rafts. Then they got to the roof through ventilation pipes. Before escaping, the men placed home-made dummies in their beds to trick night guards on the night of June 11. Once they got to the roof, they snuck to the island’s shore and used their makeshift rafts.

While West informed the FBI about the rest of the plan, this is where the investigation becomes a mystery. They were meant to get across the bay and then to Marin County, but there has been no trace of them since then. With the low likelihood of the trio making it across the over-mile-long swim to shore, there was a search for both bodies or traces of the men. After a 17-year investigation, evidence has been inconclusive. So, whether or not the Alcatraz escapees survived is a big mystery to this day.

Trump’s reason for reopening the infamous prison

Per Forbes Breaking News, Trump is attempting to restore Alcatraz as a symbol of “law and order” so plans are being made to make his idea come to life. But just like the first time Alcatraz was open, there are likely to be many bumps in the road for his plan. The upfront cost to restore the deteriorating prison has not been fully assessed yet. But as NBC News reveals, “In addition, there are other costs associated with operating a maximum-security facility that requires state-of-the-art technology and infrastructure, particularly for a property that has had a long and colorful history of escape attempts.” But it’s not just the cost that will be considered; the usefulness of such a facility is of particular importance.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many prisoners died at Alcatraz?

In total, around 30 inmates at Alcatraz died, according to AlcatrazHistory.com. From that total, five men committed suicide, eight people were murdered by inmates and 15 other men died from natural causes like disease.

Who was the most feared man in Alcatraz?

Alcatraz held a high number of dangerous inmates, so it’s hard to name just one as the most feared. But an inmate known as “The Birdman of Alcatraz”, whose real name is Robert Stroud, was considered the scariest because he had a reputation for being a sociopath and killing even behind bars.

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