Alcatraz Island

Photo by Cliff West

The first use of Alcatraz Island was as a US Military fort. Fort Alcatraz opened in December 1859. At the time, it was America's most powerful West Coast Defense. Throughout the 1800s, the fort was used as a military prison. In 1907, the fort was officially redesignated as a military prison. In 1933, the military prison closed. In 1934, the facility became part of the Federal prison system. Some of the more well-known prisoners held at Alcatraz were Al Capone, George "Machine Gun" Kelly and Robert Franklin Stroud, the "Birdman of Alcatraz." The Federal prison was closed Thursday, March 21, 1963. It had housed a total of 1,545 prisoners; from 222 to 302 at one time. The island's facilities remained mostly abandoned (except for a few unofficial Indian occupations in the late 1960s) until 1972 when it fell under the jurisdiction of the National Parks Service.

Cellhouse

Photo by Cliff West

The cellhouse was built in 1912 on the foundations of the old Fort Alcatraz. It contains 378 cells.

Lighthouse

Photo by Cliff West

The first lighthouse in California was built here from 1852 to 1854. The original lighthouse was damaged in the 1906 earthquake, and replaced by this one in 1909. This lighthouse is 84 feet tall. It was automated in 1963. It contains a 200,000 candlepower beacon.

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