Comments on: Welcome to The Rock

Welcome to The Rock

kirkaracha — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 12:12:46 -0800

"'If Ranger Craig leads me to a freshly-dug open grave, I'm going to be very miffed,' I thought." Andy Ihnatko goes on a behind-the-scenes tour of Alcatraz.

Some of the photos relate to the original military post and the 1960s and '70s Indian Occupations. Diagrams of the island and the cellhouse for reference.

By: Bathtub Bobsled

Bathtub Bobsled — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 12:18:06 -0800

Oh, Zeuce's butthole...

By: Astro Zombie

Astro Zombie — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 13:07:00 -0800

Now I can never go to Alcatraz without wrangling the backstage tour.

By: wzcx

wzcx — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 13:11:56 -0800

(semi-self link, as I am working on a sorely-needed new website for him) a friend owns the old Warden Johnston, the launch used to ferry passengers to and from the island. It was used in the "Escape from Alcatraz" film, and took many of the resident's kids to school in San Francisco.

By: Atreides

Atreides — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 13:56:03 -0800

Second link is linking to this thread instead of groovy fort photos.

By: JibberJabber

JibberJabber — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 14:16:46 -0800

I'm jealous...the photos are a great look/read. On the other hand, I thoroughly enjoyed even the self-guided-non-special-person-status tour I went on last time I was in SF.

By: justgary

justgary — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 14:51:16 -0800

On the other hand, I thoroughly enjoyed even the self-guided-non-special-person-status tour I went on last time I was in SF. Same here. It's a beautiful island, and there's also a decent film that does touch on much of what the guided tour brings (but not everything). I'm not a fan of the pictures at all, but the commentary is interesting at times.

By: kalimac

kalimac — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 14:53:36 -0800

huh? It's telling me I don't have permission to view the page.

By: dubold

dubold — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 15:19:02 -0800

"Now this is something the other tour guides won't tell you.. In this particular cell block, Machine Gun Kelly had what we call in the prison system, a "bitch". And one night, in a jealous rage, Kelly took a makeshift knife, or "shiv", and cut out the bitch's eyes." - Ranger Vicky

By: kirkaracha

kirkaracha — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 15:47:33 -0800

dubold, I meant to include that scene, but forgot. Second link is linking to this thread instead of groovy fort photos. Oops. Here ya go.

By: pupdog

pupdog — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 17:03:24 -0800

Andy's commentaries on his daily life are almost always entertaining. And he's a pretty nice guy to boot.

By: a_green_man

a_green_man — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 17:57:21 -0800

No entirely related, but if some people have their way, a Global Peace Center will take the place of the prison. While I'm all for getting rid of a symbol of our prison culture and creating a Department of Peace, the airy-fairy proposal just makes me want to laugh.