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The infamous Alcatraz Island is located in the middle of San Francisco Bay in San Francisco, California. This one-time maximum-security prison is a historic site supervised by the National Park Service as part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. It is listed as a National Historic Landmark. Thousands of visitors enjoy tours of “The Rock”, which is reached via a ferry ride from Fisherman's Wharf, every year, making it one of the most popular San Francisco attractions.
The first European to discover the island was Juan de Ayala who named it La Isla de los Alcatraces, or "Island of the Pelicans" in English. The name was later Americanized as "Alcatraz".
The prison on Alcatraz began as a military operation, but was later converted into a civilian penitenriary. The island prison was famously difficult to escape from due to its geographical features.
The oldest operating lighthouse on the West Coast of the United States is also located on Alcatraz. |
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