The Civil War fortress, Confederate plot and forgotten history beneath America's most famous prison.
When the ferry pulls away from San Francisco, and Alcatraz appears in front of you, you probably think you already know its story.
Al Capone, the Birdman of Alcatraz, the cells, the escape attempts, the freezing water of San Francisco Bay that supposedly made escape impossible. That's the Alcatraz Hollywood taught us. But here's what I didn't realize for a long time:
By the time Al Capone arrived at Alcatraz, the island had already been making American History for nearly 100 years.
But hidden underneath that prison is a story about America Itself.
1848: Before the Prison, There was GOLD!
Gold was discovered in California, and almost overnight, everything changed. People poured into California from around the world.
San Francisco went from a quiet settlement of roughly 300 people to a booming city of tens of thousands.
Ships filled the harbor. Gold flowed through the city.
San Francisco suddenly mattered enormously to the United States. And that created a problem.
How do you protect it?
The entrance to San Francisco was a potential doorway for an enemy. And sitting right in the middle of that bay was a rocky little island.
Alcatraz. The United States Army looked at that island and didn't see a prison. They saw a fortress.
1854: Alcatraz Gets Cannons!
Construction began transforming Alcatraz into one of the most formidable defensive positions on the West Coast.
The first eleven cannons were mounted in 1854. Then more arrived. And more.
By the early 1860's, 111 cannons were positioned on Alcatraz. Some were enormous. One type could fire a 450-pound projectile. There were fortified gun positions, a heavily defended entrance, and a three-story citadel sitting on top of the island.
Alcatraz became the most powerful fort west of the Mississippi River.
1861: The Civil War Reaches Alcatraz!
When we think about the Civil War, we usually think of the East. Gettysburg, Antietam, Richmond, Shiloh...
California feels impossibly far away. But California was part of the Union, and both Unionists and Confederate sympathizers lived there. Suddenly, protecting San Francisco became much more serious. The man responsible for helping to protect it had a problem of his own.
His name: Colonel Albert Sidney Johnston.
The Twist: He was a commander of the U.S. Army's Department of the Pacific. He was also a Southerner. Conflict of interest????
What Would Johnston Do? Turn to the Confederacy?
He ordered 10,000 muskets and 150,000 cartridges moved to Alcatraz for safekeeping so they couldn't fall into the hands of Confederate sympathizers. He prepared to defend federal property around San Francisco.
Then he resigned. Accepted a commission in the Confederate Army. Became one of the highest-ranking generals. Died in the Battle of Shiloh.
1863: Confederate Plot!
If that were the whole Civil War Connection, it would already be interesting. But it isn't.
In March 1863, Union authorities discovered a plot in San Francisco. A group of Confederate sympathizers planned to arm a schooner called the J.M. Chapman.
Their plan was ambitious. They intended to capture a steamship, attack Union commerce in the Pacific, and potentially threaten San Francisco Bay. One of the conspirators even carried papers signed by Confederate President Jefferson Davis promising him a commission in the Confederate Navy.
There was just one problem. The ship's captain reportedly bragged about the plan in a tavern. Not exactly ideal behavior when you're planning a secret Confederate operation.
Authorities learned what was happening. The Navy seized the Chapman before it could sail. Hidden aboard were weapons, ammunition, supplies, and 15 men. Where did they end up?
Alcatraz
The three ringleaders were held in the guardhouse basement while authorities investigated them. Convicted of treason and then later pardoned by Lincoln.
1895: Different Kind of Prisoners!
In 1895, nineteen Hopi Men were brought hundreds of miles from Arizona to Alcatraz. They weren't gangsters. They weren't robbers. They were village leaders caught in a conflict with the United States government over land and federal policies intended to force Native communities toward assimilation- including mandatory government education for their children. The men resisted. So they were arrested and sent to Alcatraz.
1907: The Fortress Disappears
In 1907, the Army realized the fortress was no longer needed. But the prison was. So it was officially designated the Pacific Branch, U.S. Military Prison. Then prisoners began building something enormous.
A New Cellhouse. Completed in 1912. It contained 600 individual cells and was, at the time, the largest reinforced concrete building in the world. And you can walk through it today.
1933: Al Capone Arrives
And now comes the History we are all very familiar with. Al Capone. George "Machine Gun" Kelly and Robert Stroud all arrive. Some of the country's most troublesome prisoners were sent there. The famous escape. Did they make it, or did they drown?
2026: You Arrive
When most visitors arrive, they head straight toward the famous prison. And yes- take the cellhouse tour. It's extraordinary. But don't let Al Capone make you miss everything that came before him. Look for the Sally Port, once the fortified entrance to the military post. Look for the old casemates and remnants of the fortress. Remember that portions of the prison are built on pieces of the earlier military installation. Notice the lighthouse. The Alcatraz lighthouse began operating in 1854 and was the first lighthouse on the Pacific Coast of the United States. Stand where cannons once guarded San Francisco Bay. Then walk into the prison those defenses eventually became. Watch the island transform around you.
What Alcatraz reminds me.....
Alcatraz's story is much more meaningful than simply famous criminals. Places change. People change. Nations change. Sometimes something created for one purpose ends up being used for something its builders never imagined. And I think our lives can be like that too.
There are times when we look at where we are and we think we have everything planned out. We have our 5, 10, 15, and 20 year planned. Then something happens a fire, a death, cancer, bankruptcy, loose your job and it turns your life upside down. You look at that plan that you so carefully built from the ground up and it becomes nothing. What do you do next?
The men building those first fortifications on Alcatraz couldn't possibly have imagined millions of people someday crossing San Francisco Bay simply to walk through what their island would become. They could only see the chapter they were currently in and we can only see ours.
Sometimes faith means trusting the God sees the whole story and if we do that when the unexpected tragedy comes and you have to rebuild you begin to see the new story. You begin to become remolded into the new thing. Does it mean that the old chapter was useless or that you were in the wrong place? No. It just simply means that God has accomplished what He set out to in that chapter of your life and now you are moving into something new for Him to "do a new work."
Want to experience Alcatraz beyond the History you just read?
Watch this week's video, where I'll show you five things most visitors never realize they're looking at and how knowing what to look for can completely change your visit.
