Machine Gun Kelly and His Lost Years on Alcatraz
By Guest Blogger Michael Esslinger These five words seem to be written in fire on the walls of my cell “Nothing can be worth this.” When the United States Federal …
Postcards From Alcatraz
Historic Postcards- As one of the most popular attractions in San Francisco, let alone the entire United States, Alcatraz is and has been a postcard collector’s nirvana. After sifting through …
Alcatraz Exhibits Take The Stage At Parc 55 & Hilton SF Union Square
“Alcatraz: Life On The Rock” and “Alcatraz, The Last Day” Exhibits Take the Stage at Parc 55 Hotel and Hilton San Francisco Union Square Together with Alcatraz Cruises, Parc 55 …
A Bridge Is Born
Sharing the accolade with Alcatraz Island as one of TripAdvisor’s “Top Ten Landmarks in the United States,” the Golden Gate Bridge is simply…legendary. Eighty-six years ago, on January 5, 1933, …
The December Departures From Alcatraz
Guest Blog Post – Michael Esslinger Two escapes, occurring on the same day a quarter century apart and both aided by dense fog, helped shape the lore of Alcatraz, the …
Revisiting the Civil War Living History Day on Alcatraz Island
The Friends of Civil War Alcatraz (FOCWA) is a non-profit group that supports the interpretation of Civil War history on Alcatraz Island. In partnership with the National Park Service, the …
Cruising The Bay In The Off-Season
Cruising San Francisco Bay during the off-season is an experience that encompasses mysterious weather, slower crowds and freedom to roam. So, what do the locals do to take advantage of …
The History of Alcatraz as a National Park
Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA), a unit of the National Park Service, was established by Congress in 1972 as part of a trend to make national park resources more …
James “Whitey” Bulger Was No Ordinary Criminal
Guest Blog Post -Michael Esslinger James “Whitey” Bulger, 1428-AZ, was no ordinary criminal. When he arrived on Alcatraz in 1958, the soft-spoken Bulger known as simply “Jimmy” to fellow cons …
Former Alcatraz Guard Shares His Story About Life on “The Rock”
Retired Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary guard George DeVincenzi served on “The Rock” from 1950 to 1958, departing just five years before the infamous Island prison closed forever in 1963. NPR Correspondent …