75th Anniversary Opening of U.S. Penitentiary at Alcatraz To Be Commemorated on August 9
Artwork by Patrick Hanlon, Glen Ohlson, Chuck MeridethOn Sunday, August 9, 2009, the National Park Service (NPS) commemorates the 75th Anniversary of the opening of U.S. Penitentiary Alcatraz.
Every year for one day in August, NPS hosts a day of activities to commemorate the anniversary of the penitentiary opening. More than 75 former residents of Alcatraz are scheduled to be on Alcatraz Island in honor of this special 75th anniversary event.
Throughout the day, first-hand accounts will be shared by former convicts, guards, and guard families that lived on the island. Convicts will talk about their crimes, their life in a 5'x 9' cell, and escapes that they witnessed. Guards will talk about what it was like to work side by side with notorious criminals. Former Alcatraz Island residents often bring personal photographs and historic memorabilia from their time on "The Rock".
Representatives from the Federal Bureau of Prisons, U.S. Coast Guard and other partner government agencies will be on hand to describe their long history with the island. The US Post Office will be on hand to cancel letters and postcards with a commemorative postmark. Also on display on the island will be the historic Alcatraz Fire Engine, a1934 Diamond T. The last boat used to transport prisoners, correctional officers and their families back and forth from San Francisco, the Warden Blackwell, will be docked at the island.
Formal programs presented by those that lived on Alcatraz will be scheduled approximately every 30 minutes, but opportunities for informal conversations will occur throughout the day. For a specific schedule of talks and exhibits for this event, go online prior to the event to www.nps.gov/alca, or see the schedule below. Tickets for this special day will sell out early, so purchase tickets from Alcatraz Cruises, the only official distributor of Alcatraz tickets. For tickets online, go to www.alcatrazcruises.com or call 415-981-ROCK (7625). Please note that tickets prices for this special day have been increased by $1.00 to offset program costs.
|
Time |
Program |
Location |
| 09:30 A.M. |
Alcatraz Convict
John Dekker |
Dock |
| 10:15 A.M. |
Alcatraz Guard
Frank Heaney |
Prison Dining Hall |
| 10:45 A.M. |
Alcatraz Family
The Ubbens |
Museum Theatre |
| 11:00 A.M. |
Battle of '46
Ernest Lageson, Author & Child of Alcatraz |
Prison Dining Hall |
| 11:30 A.M. |
Child of Alcatraz
Jolene Babyak, Author & Child of Alcatraz |
Dock |
| 11:30 A.M. |
Alcatraz Guards
Bill Long, Pat Mahoney |
Museum Theatre |
| 11:45 A.M. |
Alcatraz Guard
George DeVincenzi |
Prison Dining Hall |
| 12:15 P.M. |
Child of Alcatraz
Don Bowden |
Museum Theatre |
| 12:30 P.M. |
Alcatraz Convict
Darwin Coon |
Prison Dining Hall |
| 01:00 P.M. |
Child of Alcatraz
Phil Dollison |
Dock |
| 01:15 P.M. |
Alcatraz Guard
Jim Albright |
Prison Dining Hall |
| 01:30 P.M. |
The Federal Bureau of Prisons and Alcatraz
Anne Diestel, Bureau Historian |
Museum Theatre |
| 02:00 P.M. |
Children of Alcatraz
Nancy Bertelsen, Jean Comerford, Dick Fisher, Jack Fisher |
Prison Dining Room |
| 02:15 P.M. |
Child of Alcatraz
John Brunner |
Museum Theatre |
| 03:00 P.M. |
Alcatraz Convict
Darwin Coon |
Prison Dining Hall |
| 03:45 P.M. |
The Day Alcatraz Closed
Jan Peters |
Museum Theatre |
| All Day |
Historic Fire Truck, U.S. Coast Guard Cutter,
U.S. Bureau of Prison Information, Prison Boat "Warden Blackwell" |
Dock |