I had no idea they had night tours of Alcatraz, I think I'll have to do it. I love the history of that place, I think a night tour would be pretty cool stuff.













[img]http://msnbcmedia4.msn.com/j/MSNBC/Components/Photo/_new/110710-alcatraz-bcol-12p.grid-6x2.jpg[/img]

To bad Alcatraz wasn't still in operation.

BTW: Where did the name Alcatraz come form?

Island of the Pelicans.

Thanks.

Alcatraz was given it's name in 1775. That's when Spanish explorer Juan Manuel de Ayala was charting the Frisco Bay, and decided to name that tiny little island "La Isla ds los Alcatraces". That translates to "Island of the Pelicans". It didn't take long to "Americanize" that name into Alcatraz.

I never knew that. Interesting.

good pics Barkoff, and an interesting subject.

It is an awesome place to tour, night would've been even better. Thanks for the pics

barkoff thanx if i ever go to the commie state it will be visited

Very interesting pics and a place I would very much like to visit.

I suppose it also begs the question, did anyone ever escape? If not when it was a civilian jail, what about when prior to that, it was a military prison?

There have been escape attempts, but no confirmed survivors.

I've done the day tour twice, it is extremely well done. I love the picks of "C-D Street" (pictures 2 and 4). It's the pathway between cell blocks C and D. It is a long cold looking corridor.

A communist happy birthday to you comrade.

BTW: Why did they close down Alcatraz?

Salt air was hell on concrete, the last escape attempt which was depicted in Clint Eastwood's Escape From Alcatraz showed how easy it was becoming to get through the concrete. That and the cost of running the place, everything had to come in by boat, even the fresh water.

Tours hell they need to open that place for business again.

I've visited Alcatraz severaltime when in SF on business. Interesting tour.

I'm pretty sure JohnMoses spent many a night there. He can likely give us the real scoop!

thanks barkoff

Cool trivia...and pictures.

I enjoyed reading this thread. Thanks to the original poster and to everyone who contributed. Threads like this used to be pretty common around here, but it seems they are the exception now rather than the rule.

It's Bush's fault.

Very cool. A must-see if anybody is visiting the Bay Area. Isn't the night tour pretty oriented to the ghost investigator/enthusiast types?

I don't know. Anytime I have gone on the tour once you go up to the cell house with the group it is pretty easy to drift away and go on your own. I would sure like to take in the atmosphere at night.

I know some fisherman who anchor up behind Alcatraz and spend the night, they said the island looks pretty eerie when the night fog rolls in. It would be pretty cool to tie up to the dock and walk around after hours, but there HAS to be 24hr security there. I think there are signs keeping private boaters 300 ft away from the island, I have no idea how strictly it is enforced, but someday I mean to find out.