The Ghosts of Alcatraz

Alcatraz, the infamous island prison in San Francisco Bay, held America’s most dangerous criminals from 1934 to 1963. Closed for fifty years, it remains haunted by the desperate men who were caged there.

The Prison

Alcatraz was designed to hold prisoners other prisons couldn’t handle. Al Capone, Machine Gun Kelly, and Robert Stroud (the Birdman of Alcatraz) were among its inmates. The isolation, cold, and harsh conditions broke many prisoners.

The Suffering

Men spent years in solitary confinement. Some went mad. Attempted escapes ended in death or recapture. The psychological torture of imprisonment within sight of San Francisco, yet utterly unreachable, was deliberate.

The Haunting

Rangers and visitors report extensive paranormal activity. Cell doors clang shut on their own. Footsteps echo in empty cellblocks. Screaming is heard from the isolation cells. Cold spots manifest throughout.

Cell 14D

The isolation cells, known as “the Hole,” are particularly active. Cell 14D, where many prisoners were confined for punishment, is especially haunted. Visitors report overwhelming feelings of fear and despair.

The Ghosts

Apparitions of prisoners have been seen throughout the complex. Some cells produce crying or sobbing sounds. The spirits seem unaware the prison has closed; they continue their eternal sentences.

Assessment

Alcatraz concentrated human suffering in a confined space for three decades. The despair of its prisoners soaked into the walls. The prison closed, but its ghosts never received parole.