Alcatraz Island lies just 1.25 miles offshore from San Francisco, but for prisoners, it felt like an entirely different world. Surrounded by cold, rough waters and powerful currents, the island was believed to be escape-proof. The combination of natural barriers and strict security made Alcatraz one of the most secure prisons in American history. Even though San Francisco’s skyline was visible from the island, the vast stretch of water created a psychological torment for inmates—freedom felt so close, yet impossibly out of reach.
One of the prison’s most fascinating stories is the 1962 escape involving Frank Morris and the Anglin brothers. The trio spent months digging through the walls of their cells using spoons and a homemade drill. They crafted dummy heads from soap, toilet paper, and hair to fool guards during bed checks. On the night of June 11, they escaped through a utility corridor and launched a raft made from 50 rubber raincoats. Despite an extensive manhunt, they were never found. The FBI closed the case in 1979, presuming they drowned, but speculation remains. In 2013, a letter allegedly from one of the escapees surfaced, renewing interest in the case.
