New Industries Building, Industrial prison building on Alcatraz Island, San Francisco, US.
The New Industries Building was a two-story industrial facility on Alcatraz Island with 17 bays arranged along each side. Its windows allowed natural light into the space, which was used for manufacturing and laundry operations.
Built in 1939, this structure was part of a major modernization effort on Alcatraz Island. It represents how prison authorities sought to update the facility with contemporary industrial and operational capabilities.
The ground floor once served as a workplace where prisoners manufactured gloves, mattresses, and military uniforms while earning wages for their labor. This work provided inmates with structure and purpose during their incarceration.
This building is accessible only during guided tours of Alcatraz Island departing from Pier 33 in San Francisco. Access times are limited to tour schedules, so visitors should plan ahead for their visit.
The upper floor housed what was then the largest laundry facility in San Francisco, processing all textiles and garments for the entire prison. This substantial operation was a crucial part of the facility's daily functioning that few people know about.
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