Alcatraz Island, also known as "The Rock" is named for the Spanish word "The Pelican". This 22 acre, sandstone island is about a mile and a half offshore from the City of San Francisco.
The history of Alcatraz includes periods of time as a fortress, then a prison and now a part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area.
In the 1850's, Alcatraz, along with Fort Point and Lime Point, provided three key points of protection for the San Francisco Bay. In 1861 Alcatraz was officially the military prison for the Department of the Pacific. By the end of the Civil War in 1865, the more than one hundred cannon of Alcatraz were obsolete. Rifled artillery had become more accurate and had longer range.
In 1907, the Army acknowledged that the future of Alcatraz was a military prison, not a defense site. Prisoners were used to tear down the old fortress and build a new 600 cell prison, dining hall, hospital and recreation yard. By 1933 though, the Army recognized that importing food, water and supplies to this isolated location was too expensive to continue operation. In 1934, Alcatraz was transferred to the Department of Justice and became a federal prison.
In the post-Depression era of 1930, several high profile gangsters, such as Al "Scarface" Capone, "Doc" Barker, Alvin "Creepy" Karpis, George "Machine Gun" Kelly, Floyd Hamilton and Robert Stroud, aka "Birdman of Alcatraz" were imprisoned here. Increasing maintenance and operating costs caused Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy to close Alcatraz in 1963.
in 1969, Alcatraz was occupied by native American Indians who landed on the island and tried to claim it for the Indians. They occupied the island for 19 months until 1971 when all remaining individuals were removed.
In 1972 Congress created the Golden Gate National Recreation Area and Alcatraz Island became part of the GGNRA.
To get to Alcatraz Island, once must arrange an Alcatraz Cruise on a tour boat from San Francisco. Tour boat fees range from $16 for children to $26 for adults. Admission is to the island free.