Alcatraz, a notorious federal penitentiary located on an island in the San Francisco Bay, has long been the subject of fascination and intrigue. Originally a military stronghold, this former military prison was dubbed “the Rock” and was every inmate’s worst nightmare. Essentially a medieval castle, in the early 20th century it was extensively remodeled so that it could house some of the country’s most notorious, vicious felons. Escapees Frank Lee Morris, John Anglin, Clarence Anglin, and Allen West were some of the most notorious inhabitants of the prison. They created a complex and highly detailed escape plan that would fascinate and mystify the public for generations.
Built on top of the remains of an early American fort, Alcatraz was home to some of America’s most nefarious criminals until its shutting down in 1963. Today, the prison’s once-majestic foundations are crumbling and collapsing, a poignant homage to its illustrious history. In 1939, U.S. Attorney General Frank Murphy attempted to shut down Alcatraz due to its deteriorating conditions and rising operational costs. Instead of shuttering it, it stayed open for years, acting as the last resort for the nation’s most dangerous criminals.
Frank Lee Morris arrived at Alcatraz in 1958, joining a group of inmates who shared a common goal: escape. John and Clarence Anglin soon joined Allen West on a team of allies. In their collective yearning for liberty, they were one. For months, these guys worked on a plan, a detailed course of action to get out from behind the high walls guarding the notorious stronghold.
The route of their escape plan included chiseling away at the salt-damaged concrete which surrounded the air vent that lies under each of their sinks. With makeshift implements, they toiled around the clock to break through, cutting an opening just big enough to slip out of their cells while avoiding detection. Along the way, they built plumber’s pipe scaffolding, so they could climb more than 30 feet and step on top of a ventilation shaft.
On the night of June 11, 1962, Morris and the Anglin brothers made their move. In their most daring move yet, they quietly escaped from their cells and navigated through the air vent they had tirelessly engineered. From there, the trio climbed atop the museum’s roof and rappelled down to the water’s edge with their makeshift gear. Allen West was delayed and not able to travel with them on this fateful night.
The escapees used multiple rafts made with sewn together raincoats in their journey to freedom from Alcatraz. They paddled east from the island, using the cover of night to their advantage. In doing so, behind them, they left a few soap and hair decoy heads in their places to mislead the prison guards. Alarm bells went off when the guards found the decoys the following morning. This unexpected news sent officials into a panic and a stem search for the escaped inmates.
Even with large search efforts from all levels of law enforcement and a nationwide manhunt, Frank Morris and the Anglin brothers were never recovered. Their disappearance sparked numerous theories about their fate, leading some to believe they may have successfully reached the mainland and started new lives elsewhere. Still other people theorize that they froze to death in the icy waters of San Francisco Bay.
In 1963, only a year after the escape that inspired the movie, Alcatraz fed its last prisoners and shuttered its doors for good. The prison nonetheless retains its legacy as a world-famous high-security prison. Unfortunately, its decaying infrastructure is a testament to the erosion it has experienced throughout the years.
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