Imagine the clang of metal echoing through the Model Industries Building. This wasn’t just any workshop. It was a place of forced labor and a sliver of hope for inmates on Alcatraz Island.
The Model Industries Building stands on the northwest corner of Alcatraz. It is a silent witness to the Rock’s tumultuous past. Originally built by the U.S. military, the Model Industries Building served as a laundry facility. That was until 1939. Then, the New Industries Building was constructed.
As part of the Alcatraz penitentiary, the Model Industries Building housed workshops. Inmates worked here. They broke up the monotony and isolation of prison life. The work also gave them skills for release. For many, it was considered a privilege to work in the Model Industries Building.
But life wasn’t easy here. On January 10, 1935, disaster struck. A severe storm caused a landslide. The Model Industries Building shifted. It moved to within 2.5 feet of the cliff’s edge. Warden James A. Johnston wanted to extend the seawall. He even requested $6500 for the project. He claimed to dislike the building because of its irregular shape. A smaller, cheaper riprap was completed by the end of 1935.
In June 1936, a guard tower and catwalk were added to the roof. These connected to Hill Tower. Bars from old cells reinforced the windows. Grills covered the roof ventilators. These additions were to prevent escapes from the Model Industries Building.
The Model Industries Building ceased use as a laundry in 1939. The laundry operations moved to the upper floor of the New Industries Building. Before the penitentiary, the army used the Model Industries Building in 1922. It was a place to retrain imprisoned soldiers. It contained various shops. These included a blacksmith shop, plumbing shop, and vocational training school. There was even a band practice room. Some inmates tended gardens. This was a form of horticultural therapy on the barren landscape.
Today, the Model Industries Building is heavily rusted. Decades of salt air and wind have taken their toll. Hill Tower no longer exists. The guard tower once atop the building now sits near the Power Plant. It is there on display.
Think about the men who toiled here. They found a purpose within these walls. The Model Industries Building stands as a testament to their time on Alcatraz. A place where prisoners worked. A place where some found a small measure of redemption.