25 Surprising Things About Alcatraz Only The Guards Knew

The Travel ^ | November 22, 2018 | Bosley Daniel

[beaversmom]

I got to chatting with a co-worker yesterday before we got busy at work. Not even sure how we got on the subject at this point, but she told me that her mother lived on Alcatraz as a little girl. My co-worker's grandfather was a prison guard there. So cool. I was so interested in that and amazed.

So I looked it up to find out more. I found this article, but it's not allowed to be posted on FR so I'll just include the link here for anyone interested in reading.

The Children Who Once Called Alcatraz Home: ‘For Us, It Was a Big Playground’

Pics of the children of Alcatraz via the internet:

[dfwgator]

"In this particular cell-block, Machine Gun Kelly had what we call in the prison system, a 'bitch'."

[wally_bert]

A good episode that’s Alcatraz related.

https://m.imdb.com/title/tt0711543/

[beaversmom]

Escape from Alcatraz trailer with Clint Eastwood:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDAMAN21GHA

[wally_bert]

That new series got cancelled just as it was getting interesting.

Fox has done it other shows, just like the other networks. That’s TV.

[beaversmom]

I used to like that show long ago. As a little girl, I always thought Michael Douglas was cute.

[Michael.SF.]

On a visit to Alcatraz, there was a former inmate signing his autobiography and asking questions. We bought a book and my young son asked him what was the worse thing about being there.

His answer: "during the summer on quiet nights we could hear the sounds of the city, including music from some of the bars and clubs near the water. That was the worst, it reminded us of what we were missing."

[morphing libertarian]

bkmrk

[Harold Shea]

I have an book titled “Al Capone did My Laundry” from

a woman who as a small girl lived on the rock with her family.

Some intresting stories.

[beaversmom]

Very interesting. Would love to go there.

[Larry Lucido]

A pair of prisoners created fake heads out of cement, paint and hair that were placed on their cots as if they were still asleep in their cells.

Yeah, amazing no one made a movie out of that or something. Next they'll be saying that Alcatraz had a guy who raised birds!

[beaversmom]

lol.

[beaversmom]

Sounds very good.

This is another book, I believe mentioned in the article, linked in post #1:

The Children of Alcatraz: Growing Up on the Rock Hardcover – September 19, 2006
https://www.amazon.com/Children-Alcatraz-Growing-Up-Rock/dp/0802795781

[Mercat]

Mr. Mercat and I knew a young woman back in the 70s who lived there as a child. She narrates a video there if you ever go visit. She had good memories.

[sparklite2]

I’ve been there twice. It’s a fascinating visit. The article isn’t bad, but a lot was left out. The reason the area between the cell blocks and the dining hall was called Times Square is because a large clock hung ten feet up the wall.

Also, what Mark Twain said was, “The coldest winter I ever spent was the summer I spent in San Francisco.”

[beaversmom]

I bet it is very chilly there.

[sparklite2]

Yes, and it will be called a fascinating little known fact. LOL

[sparklite2]

Yep, dress warm if visiting.

[Huskrrrr]

“Very interesting. Would love to go there.”

You should, well worth the trip. After the tour you can hike around the island, at your leisure.

[beaversmom]

That is super cool. Did she show you any pics?

I have visited a couple of old prisons. One up in Wyoming that was operational in the late 1800s and the old state one down in Canon City, CO. They have a gas chamber that you can see that's right out in the courtyard.

Wyoming Territorial Prison

Canon City Prison Museum