Alcatraz: Escaping the Rock uses recreations and archival material to tell the story of one of history’s greatest, most mysterious prison escapes. Now, for the first time, Dutch scientists Olivier Hoes, Rolf Hut and Fedor Baart are using their work on flood risk assessment and innovative 3-D technology mapping tides to prove that the three men could have successfully escaped, but only if their timing was perfect and specific factors were in place. Up until this day, it is not known whether or not the three of them made it to land or if they ended up somewhere out in the Pacific. More than 15 million people every year visit the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, making it one of the most visited national parks in the United States.On June 11, 1962, bank robbers Frank Morris and brothers Clarence and John Anglin escaped the confines of the prison walls at Alcatraz and set off on the frigid waters of the San Francisco Bay in a homemade raft. "We encourage people to get involved and give their input for the next 50 years and beyond when we're still commemorating this place." "We have scavenger hunts in the area, guests and speakers," Davis said. He's one of the last remaining people who actually lived in the prison and was incarcerated here who's still able to come and talk about it," Davis said.īaker's story is just one part of a weekend of activities, events, guest speakers and volunteer opportunities to mark 50 years since the establishment of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. "He has a great perspective and a great history. National Park Rangers like Christian Davis, who works at Alcatraz said Baker is now a well-known and welcome figure at Pier 33, where he greets visitors as they line up to board the ferry. We met each other again and again for the rest of our lives, in prisons." When asked if he ended up in prison again later in life he said, "Of course. I'm not saying that's a good thing but it is what it is," Baker said. In Alcatraz, I learned how to become a better criminal. "I learned how to do counterfeit checks, payroll and drivers licenses. He said after serving three years in Alcatraz, the prison sent him on a train back to his home in Kentucky, where he said he worked on his post-prison career: ![]() "Now I have a house, a wife, a dog and car and I earned it all legally and I am proud of it," he said. He lives in Toledo, Ohio, but travels to the Bay Area to speak about his experiences and sell and sign copies of his book. More than 60 years later, with permission from the National Park Service, he wrote a book about his experiences called Alcatraz, #1259, a reference to his inmate number. ![]() "When asked if that initial impression was accurate, he said: "It was wrong. "I said, 'Wow, these guys aren't so tough after all.' That was my first thought, my perception." "When I escaped that prison they sent me to Alcatraz."īaker remembers his first impression of Alcatraz prison, walking onto the site and seeing other inmates playing cards, basketball and even sketching and painting their views of the Golden Gate Bridge. ![]() ![]() I escaped, so they put me in prison," Baker explained. He is now 89 years old and one of the last surviving former inmates of Alcatraz. Bill Baker is part of that living history.
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