SAN FRANCISCO—The triple-decker ferry from Pier 33 rushes toward its bleak destination over a mile across the cold, restless waters of San Francisco Bay.
Once a fortress of isolation, the former maximum security prison rises like an ancient Acropolis atop the windswept rock of Alcatraz Island.
The concrete walls seem to hold many secrets, while pelicans and seagulls gather on the empty rooftops and guard towers, making these spaces their own.
The ferry stops at the prison dock, where curious passengers, met by a swarm of black summer flies, hurry to the meeting area.
A National Park Service (NPS) guide prepares to reveal the hidden stories of what was once America’s most infamous prison on this 22-acre island….