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Initially discovered by a Spanish explorer in 1775 (its name literally meant Isle of the Penguins originally), Alcatraz Island was first used by the US military in 1853, when it established a base there, transforming it into Fortress Alcatraz.
- Sarah Roller
May 10, 2024 · Alcatraz Island, also known as ‘The Rock,’ a rocky island in San Francisco Bay, off the coast of California, in the United States. From 1934 to 1963, a facility on the island served as a federal prison for some of the most dangerous civilian prisoners. Learn more about the history of Alcatraz Island here.
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Aug 30, 2023 · The Fascinating History of Alcatraz Island. Alcatraz has a many-layered history: Civil War fortress, military prison, federal prison, bird sanctuary, first lighthouse on the West Coast, and the birthplace of the American Indian Red Power movement: These are just a few of the fascinating stories of the Rock.
Alcatraz Island ( / ˈælkəˌtræz /) is a small island 1.25 miles (2.01 km) offshore from San Francisco, California, United States. [1] The island was developed in the mid-19th century with facilities for a lighthouse, a military fortification, and a military prison. In 1934, the island was converted into a federal prison, Alcatraz Federal ...
- 22 acres (8.9 ha)
- San Francisco, California
- 1934; 89 years ago
Alcatraz Books. Alcatraz. Books. #2: Breakout! Escape from Alcatraz #3: Children of Alcatraz: Growing Up on the Rock #4: Al Capone Does My Shoes #5: Al Capone Does My Homework.
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We Hold the Rock. European discovery and exploration of the San Francisco Bay Area and its islands began in 1542 and culminated with the mapping of the bay in 1775. Early visitors to the Bay Area were preceded 10,000 to 20,000 years earlier, however, by the native people indigenous to the area. Prior to the coming of the Spanish and Portuguese ...
Introduction. Alcatraz is an island in San Francisco Bay, in California. It occupies an area of 22 acres (9 hectares) and is about 1.5 miles (2 kilometers) offshore from San Francisco. It is also called The Rock. Exploration. The island was most likely first explored by Juan Manuel de Ayala of Spain in 1775.
