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Located in the San Francisco Bay, Alcatraz Island and Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary have been cited as one of the most haunted places in America, and also as the most haunted prison in the country. The ''Los Angeles Times'' describes Alcatraz as the "most notorious federal penitentiary this country has ever known. Its history runs far and deep, as do the stories, the rumors, and the legends". The Native Americans mentioned the evil spirits they purportedly encountered on the island long before it became a federal prison. Mark Twain documented the eerie atmosphere of the island after visiting it, described it as "being as cold as winter, even in the summer months." Prisoners, rangers and visitors have reported a wide range of alleged ghostly activity on Alcatraz, from whispering in cells and locked cell doors shutting, to phantom figures in corridors, cold spots and even the sounds of musical instruments and sewing machines. Officials for Alcatraz have dismissed the reports of ghosts at Alcatraz as nonsense and deny their existence. ==Perceptions of Alcatraz== Jerry Lewis Champion stated that it is "easy to see that Alcatraz Island contains all the legend and aura for the tales of ghosts and lost souls." The ''Los Angeles Times'' describes Alcatraz as the "most notorious federal penitentiary this country has ever known. Its history runs far and deep, as do the stories, the rumors, and the legends", and cited it as one of five major haunted spots in California. Paranormal investigators consider the prison to be one of the most haunted places in the world. Paranormal investigator Mollie Stewart declared Alcatraz to be "extremely haunted". According to historians, long before the prison opened on Alcatraz, early explorers to the island believed it to be haunted and it developed a reputation as a "bad place". Western explorers visiting the island felt it had a disturbing atmosphere and spoke of the moonlit paths during the night. Bones and artifacts unearthed by archaeologists on the island have indicated that it might have served as a burial ground for Native American outcasts. Native Americans, known as Ohlone (A Miwok Indian word), were the earliest known inhabitants of the Alcatraz island. Even though they avoided the island as they believed that evil spirits resided there, they were using it for deporting their criminals under the tribal law to live on the island in isolation. They also gathered eggs of birds and marine food from the island. Even after the Spanish discovered the island in 1759, and started spreading Christianity, the natives who did not want to convert used the islands as their refuge. Mark Twain documented the eerie atmosphere of the island after visiting it, described it as "being as cold as winter, even in the summer months", and ''The Washington Post'' has also claimed that Alcatraz is a place "where visitors can sense the dread of past inhabitants still trapped in the atmosphere." ''New York Magazine'' has said that although the penitentiary hasn't been operational since 1963, it "remains ultra sinister, perversely fascinating, iconic." A documentary ''Haunted Alcatraz'', broadcast on the Travel Channel, has said "there is little question that Alcatraz holds a particular place in our collective imagination, consistently evoking feeling, stirring and dark" and that the "power of the island" still captivates visitors after departure.〔 A 1995 book included Alcatraz as one of ''The 25 Scariest Places in the World''. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Legends of Alcatraz」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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