Alcatraz Island 1906 San Francisco earthquake, civilian prisoners were transferred to Alcatraz for safe confinement. On March 21, 1907, Alcatraz was officially designated as the Western U.S. Military Prison, later Pacific Branch, U.S. Disciplinary Barracks, 1915. In 1909 construction began on the huge concrete main cell block, designed by Major Reuben Turner, which remains the island's dominant feature. It was completed in 1912. To accommodate the new cell block, the Citadel, a three-story barracks, was demolished down to the first floor, which was actually below ground level. The building had been constructed in an excavated pit (creating a dry "moat") to enhance
Legends of Alcatraz their refuge. "The Washington Post" has also claimed that Alcatraz is a place "where visitors can sense the dread of past inhabitants still trapped in the atmosphere." "New York Magazine" has said that although the penitentiary hasn't been operational since 1963, it "remains ultra sinister, perversely fascinating, iconic." A documentary "Haunted Alcatraz", broadcast on the Travel Channel, has said "there is little question that Alcatraz holds a particular place in our collective imagination, consistently evoking feeling, stirring and dark" and that the "power of the island" still captivates visitors after departure. A 1995 book included Alcatraz as one of "The