Escape from the prison
In 1934, this island prison was transferred to the Federal Bureau of Prisons, and it became the most notorious prison in the United States. The prison housed some of the country’s most dangerous criminals, including Al Capone, Robert Stroud (also known as the Birdman of Alcatraz), and George “Machine Gun” Kelly.
The island was also used as a site for a lighthouse, the first one on the West Coast, which was built in 1854. The lighthouse still stands today and is the oldest operating lighthouse on the West Coast.
Alcatraz was also used as a military prison during the Civil War, where Confederate sympathizers and prisoners of war were held.
The famous “Escape from Alcatraz” in 1962 is still considered a mystery. Three inmates, Frank Morris and brothers John and Clarence Anglin, managed to escape the prison and were never found. The FBI closed the case in 1979, but there are still many theories about what happened to the escapees.
The island was also home to the first public school in California, which was established in 1859 for the children of the military personnel stationed on the island.
The movie The Rock, starring Sean Connery and Nicolas Cage, has been based on and shot at this island.