is a rocky island about 2 km off the coast of San Francisco. The first European to reach the island was naval officer Juan Manuel de Abara in 1775. The name of the island derives from the Spanish Isla de los Alcatraces (or Island of Terei). A defensive fortification was built on the island in 1850 and soon thereafter it was used as a prison; it was the location of the prison from 1934 to 1963.

Today, it is a very popular and visited historical site. In addition to the former prison, there are the ruins of a military fortress and a lighthouse that still functions today. Because of the rare animals and seabirds that now inhabit the island, the island has been protected by the NPS (National Park Service) since 1972.
As a military fort built on the island, Alcatraz has never been directly involved in combat; it has been used as a prison since the 1960s. The cold waters around the island and its distance from the mainland made it an ideal location for prisoners. In 1907, Alcatraz officially became a military prison.

FEDERAL PRISON
The prison was home to prisoners whose names you have heard in movies, articles, and books. Al Capone, Frank Morris, Floyd Hamilton (accomplice of the famous duo Bonnie and Clyde), Morton Sobel, and the famous prisoner number AZ594 (Birdman), whose own name was Robert Stroud. Here is a selection of a few of the prisoners who tried to escape. They were either killed or drowned.
–Arthur “Doc” Barker, Dale Stamphill, William Martin, Henry Young,Rufus McCain McCain) (January 13, 1939)escaped from a quarantine cell. They were caught on the shore of the island and surrendered except for Barker and Stanfill. The other two were shot dead for refusing to obey the order to surrender; Barker was killed.
– Bernard Coy, Joe Cretzer, Marvin Thompson, Stockley, Carnes (02-04 May 1946) 18 guards were wounded, 2 guards died, Cretzer was shot, and Coy died so Their escape attempts were unsuccessful. Stockley, Kearns, and Thompson were tried for the murder of the guards. Thompson and Shockley were sentenced to death and died in the gas chambers of San Quentin in 1948.
–Frank Lee Morris, John, and Clarence Anglin (June 11, 1962)They disappeared from their cells and were never seen again. Probably drowned, they are still listed as missing persons. One of the guards received a blank postcard from Brazil, which is very interesting, but one can only speculate whether they drowned or not; a program called “MythBusters”recreated the escape in one of their programs.

The gloomy atmosphere of this prison can still be felt today. Visitors have conflicting opinions, experience strange phenomena there, and encounter something that no one understands.