Alcatraz

Alcatraz is a 22-acre island in San Francisco Bay.  Alcatraz is best known as a federal maximum-security prison, but the Island has a long and interesting history.  Scientists tells that 10,000 years ago, the small sandstone peak that would later be called Alcatraz rose above ocean waters flooding the valley that became San Francisco Bay.  3,000 years ago, Indians paddled their reed canoes to Alcatraz hunting for birds' eggs and perhaps fishing from its shores.  In 1847, California purchased Alcatraz from the Mexican government. 

The United States began fortifying Alcatraz in 1853, and Alcatraz Island served as a military fortification in the 1850's and as an incarceration facility for war prisoners during the Spanish-American War.  In 1934, Alcatraz became a federal maximum-security prison, and it became infamous for Mafia criminals and high-risk convicts.  Famous Alcatraz residents have included Al Capone, Machine Gun Kelly, and Robert "Birdman of Alcatraz" Stroud.

Alcatraz Island is located just a mile from Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco, but there is no evidence that anyone ever escaped across the icy bay.  In fact, Alcatraz was the only prison in the federal prison system that touted hot showers, a luxury designed to keep prisoners from acclimating to cold water.

Alcatraz is known as "The Rock."  Inmates had great views of the beautiful San Francisco skyline, and that made life even more unpleasant there.

The prison closed in 1963 due to the extremely high costs of operating the facility.  Since that time, people have been trying to get on the island rather than off. 

In 1969, a group of Native Americans attempted to reclaim the land saying that an 1868 federal treaty allowed Native Americans to use all federal territory that the government wasn't actively using.  After almost two years of occupation, the government forced them off.  The story of the occupation is covered in the Alcatraz Museum, and graffiti remains claiming "this is Native American land."

In 1972, Alcatraz became part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area and is now managed by the National Park Service.  The first tourists visited the island in 1973, and today, Alcatraz is the most popular tourist attraction in the Bay Area.

Click on each of the topics below to read about the history of Alcatraz:

1.  Alcatraz the Early Years
2.  Alcatraz the Fort
3.  Alcatraz the Prison
4.  The Native American Occupation
5.  Natural Alcatraz
6.  Alcatraz the Tourist Attraction

Click on each of the areas below to read about each of the major areas at Alcatraz:

1.  The Dock
2.  Guardhouse and Sally Port
3.  Post Exchange - Officers' Club
4.  Military Chapel
5.  Barracks - Apartments
6.  Warden's House
7.  Lighthouse
8.  Cellhouse
9.  The Gardens

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For tickets and tours, contact Alcatraz Media at www.alcatraz.us,
or call 866-268-8729 or 415-461-4608.