Alcatraz Prison Reveals Civil War Fortress

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Alcatraz Prison Reveals Civil War Fortress
Added by Erin Friar on March 1, 2014.
Saved under Erin Friar, U.S.
Tags: alcatraz, spot
Expired Image RemovedA recent search by Texas A&M researchers revealed a hidden Civil War fortress underneath the historic Alcatraz prison, in California. The fortress was long thought to have been destroyed but thanks to new technology, has been uncovered.

Professor of Geology Mark Everett and his team from Texas A&M were commissioned by the National Park Service to investigate the existence of the fortress in January. Using radar to penetrate the ground, the team began the search on the recreation yard of Alcatraz. A yellow cart was dragged across the ground in straight lines.

Everett described to BBC how the technology functions. “The cart…sends an electromagnetic wave into the ground that…reflects off all the different structures underneath.” He compared it to medical scans of the brain which reveal tumors. The results of the search uncovered the remains of a military fortress used during the Civil War.

Jason Hagin, the historical architect for the National Park Service, explained the origins of the fortress. In 1848 California became a destination for gold hunters. The San Francisco port became essential for the West Coast, and the fortress is believed to have been built to protect the country’s West Coast.

The Civil War soon broke out, and though the fortress never saw combat, it did house Confederate soldiers and sympathizers. Everett describes the years 1850-1907 as the “Era of Fortress Alcatraz.” The main prison building was erected in 1915.

For the rest: http://guardianlv.com/2014/03/alcatraz-prison-reveals-civil-war-fortess/
 
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