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In 1853, under the direction of Zealous B. Tower, the United States Army Corps of Engineers began fortifying the island, work which continued until 1858, when the initial version of Fort Alcatraz was complete. The island's first garrison, numbering about 200 soldiers, arrived at the end of that year.
Feb 27, 2015 · 1848. California becomes U.S. property at the end of the Mexican-American War. Gold is discovered along the American River and the Gold Rush begins. 1850. A joint Army and Navy commission recommends a Triangle of Defense to guard San Francisco Bay.
- Fort Alcatraz. Following the Mexican-American War, President Milliard Fillmore recognized the island’s strategic military value and ordered Alcatraz Island to be set aside as a military reservation.
- Military Prison. Alcatraz Island’s geographic location in the middle of San Francisco Bay made it uniquely suited to serve as a prison. The bay’s strong sea currents and frigid waters would prove deadly for escapees.
- Federal Penitentiary. Alcatraz inmates entering the mess hall, 1954 - Courtesy NPS Archives. In 1933, the U.S. War Department determined that the Alcatraz military prison was no longer needed for defense purposes and transferred the facility to the Federal Bureau of Prisons the following year.
- GSA’s Role and Native American Occupation. Robert Robertson, Executive Director of the Vice President’s National Council on Indian Opportunity, and Thomas Hannon, Regional Administrator of the General Services Administration, meet with the island’s occupants in January 1970.
Nov 30, 2022 · In 1907 Alcatraz officially ceased being a fortress and became Pacific Branch, U.S. Military Prison. Military Prison Alcatraz Island's use as a prison began in December 1859 with the arrival of the first permanent garrison.
In the following decade, Alcatraz would begin serving as a military. prison during the Civil War, housing Confederate sympathizers, privateers, and POWs. For the remainder of the 19th century and into the early 20th century, Alcatraz continued expanding its capacity as a military. detention facility.
Aug 30, 2023 · Stories. Learn about the military history (1850-1934), the federal penitentiary history (1934-1963) and perhaps the most influential period in the island's history, the American Indian occupation (1964 and 1969-1971) that saved the tribes--and maybe the island too. People.
May 10, 2024 · Sold in 1849 to the U.S. government, Alcatraz was the site of the first lighthouse (1854) on the coast of California. Thereafter other buildings were erected on the island, and the first permanent army detachment was garrisoned there in 1859. In 1861 the island was designated a residence for military offenders.
