4. Alcatraz Island, San Francisco, California
History & Hauntings: “The Rock,” as Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary was known, was an inescapable maximum-security prison from 1934 to 1963, housing some of America’s most dangerous criminals, including Al Capone and George “Machine Gun” Kelly. Its isolated location in San Francisco Bay, combined with the harsh conditions and frequent inmate deaths, has given rise to countless tales of hauntings.
Visitors and former guards have reported numerous paranormal incidents on the island:
- Cell Block D (The Hole): This disciplinary segregation unit was infamous for its extreme isolation and darkness. Inmates suffered immensely here, and visitors report feeling intense cold, hearing cries, and experiencing oppressive, negative energy.
- Disembodied Voices and Whispers: The sounds of men talking, screaming, and whispering are heard in empty cells and corridors.
- Cell 14D: This cell is particularly notorious, with claims of an unseen entity that causes extreme cold and a feeling of being watched.
- Phantom Sounds: Jingle of keys, clang of cell doors, and even spectral banjo music (reportedly from Al Capone’s cell) have been heard.
- Shadow Figures: Dark, fast-moving shadows are often seen throughout the cell blocks.
The concentrated anguish and isolation endured by thousands of inmates have left an undeniable imprint on Alcatraz, making it a truly chilling historic site.
