The Last Prisoners
Alcatraz was built and became a civilian prison in 1934. It served as one of the harshest prisons in the United States for thirty years. It was isolated and held some of the most dangerous criminals. On March 21, 1963, the prison closed its gates, and the last of the inmates were transferred to other prisons across the country.
The decision to close the prison was taken a long time before the Morris and the Anglins escaped. As it turns out, the operational cost and overall prison expenses were just too high to keep. This photo shows the very last inmates making their way elsewhere.
Paul G. Madigan
At first, this photo may seem like an ordinary photograph of some manager or clerk, but in fact, this image has a lot of historical significance. In this photo, Paul G. Madigan, the warden of Alcatraz Federal Prison, sits at his desk, completing daily routine duties. What is not seen in this photo is that this was an historic day for the prison.
This was taken on March 15th, 1956, and it was the first time the prison gates were open for publicity. This was the first time press, television, radio, and other reporters were allowed into the prison to document and see the truth behind this place's story.
Exercise Yard
In 1934, the Alcatraz prison inmates were introduced to "The Back Yard." This was the place to exercise, relax, and take time out. It was located next to the dining hall and surrounded by a high wall and barbwire fence. Until 1936, there was just an unpaved court used for the outside space, so when the yard was completed, it was a real upgrade for the inmate's imprisonment conditions.
The heavy barbwire surrounding the yard guaranteed that no one could ever climb this wall, not even to view the magnificent ocean scenery on the other side. This yard served Alcatraz prisoners until its final days in 1963 when the prison closed down.
New Skills
Not everything about Alcatraz was illegal and related to crime. The government took advantage of the prisoners and their condition, being isolated from the outside world. Most of the inmates used to work in the facilities, and many of those jobs were to serve the country's needs. These jobs were unpaid, so no one made money out of it.
In this photo, one of the prison's inmates does War Work and repairs uniforms for the Army Quartermasters Department. Turning the prison into a work base for many of the government's needs saved alot of money and resources over the years.
Robert Stroud
This next image is of one of the most famous inmates of Alcatraz prison. His name was Robert Stroud, known as "The Birdman of Alcatraz." he was placed in prison for the first time in 1909 after being convicted of a serious crime. Stroud spent most of his life behind Alcatraz bars, and out of his 72 years of living, 53 were imprisoned.
Stoud was permitted to keep his bird pet in his cell, where he operated a bird laboratory. He studies birds' behavior in his cell and produces Stroud's Digest of Diseases of Birds. His work and studies contributed tremendously to many ornithologists and their definitive work on bird sicknesses. During his time behind the prions's walls, Stroud nurtured over 300 birds