Alcatraz Prison Closes
Unverified
Date
March 21, 1963
Type
National
Author
hjwilson1975
Location
San Francisco,
California,
United States
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Categories
Political & Governance
Crime
Event Details
The federal penitentiary on Alcatraz Island in San Francisco Bay was closed on March 21, 1963, after 29 years of operation. Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy ordered its closure due to high maintenance and operating costs.
The prison had housed some of America's most notorious criminals, including Al Capone and George 'Machine Gun' Kelly.