Alcatraz island - wikipedia Alcatraz island `` Alcatraz '' redirects here. For the former high - security prison on the island which existed from 1934 to 1963, see Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary. For other uses, see Alcatraz ( disambiguation ). Alcatraz Alcatraz Island, San Francisco Bay, July 2, 2017 Show map of San Francisco Show map of California Show map of the US Show all Location San Francisco Bay, California, US Nearest city San Francisco, California Coordinates 37 ° 49 ′ 36 '' N 122 ° 25 ′ 22 '' W ﻿ / ﻿ 37.82667 ° N 122.42278 ° W ﻿ / 37.82667 ; - 122.42278 Coordinates : 37 ° 49 ′ 36 '' N 122 ° 25 ′ 22 '' W ﻿ / ﻿ 37.82667 ° N 122.42278 ° W ﻿ / 37.82667 ; - 122.42278 Area 22 acres ( 8.9 ha ) Established 1934 ( 1934 ) Governing body National Park Service Website Alcatraz Island Alcatraz U.S. National Register of Historic Places U.S. National Historic Landmark District The Social Hall, destroyed by fire during the Native American occupation. Area 47 acres ( 19 ha ) Built 1847 Architect U.S. Army, Bureau of Prisons ; U.S. Army Architectural style Mission / Spanish Revival NRHP reference # 76000209 Significant dates Added to NRHP June 23, 1976 Designated NHLD January 17, 1986 Alcatraz Island ( / ˈælkəˌtræz / ) is located in San Francisco Bay, 1.25 miles ( 2.01 km ) offshore from San Francisco, California, United States. The small island was developed with facilities for a lighthouse, a military fortification, a military prison ( 1828 ), and a federal prison from 1934 until 1963. Beginning in November 1969, the island was occupied for more than 19 months by a group of Native Americans from San Francisco, who were part of a wave of Native activism across the nation, with public protests through the 1970s. In 1972, Alcatraz became part of a national recreation area and received designation as a National Historic Landmark in 1986. Today, the island 's facilities are managed by the National Park Service as part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area ; it is open to tours. Visitors can reach the island in a little under 15 minutes by ferry ride from Pier 33, located between the San Francisco Ferry Building and Fisherman 's Wharf, San Francisco. Hornblower Cruises and Events, operating under the name Alcatraz Cruises, is the official ferry provider to and from the island. Alcatraz Island is home to the abandoned prison, the site of the oldest operating lighthouse on the West Coast of the United States, early military fortifications, and natural features such as rock pools and a seabird colony ( mostly western gulls, cormorants, and egrets ). According to a 1971 documentary on the history of Alcatraz, the island measures 1,675 feet ( 511 m ) by 590 feet ( 180 m ) and is 135 feet ( 41 m ) at highest point during mean tide. However, the total area of the island is reported to be 22 acres ( 8.9 ha ). Landmarks on the island include the Main Cellhouse, Dining Hall, Library, Lighthouse, the ruins of the Warden 's House and Officers ' Club, Parade Grounds, Building 64, Water Tower, New Industries Building, Model Industries Building, and the Recreation Yard. Contents 1 History 1.1 Military garrison 1.1. 1 Military prison 1.2 Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary 2 Post-prison years 2.1 Native American occupation 3 Landmarks 4 Development 5 Art 6 Fauna and flora 6.1 Habitat 6.2 Flora 7 In popular culture 8 Gallery 9 See also 10 References 11 Further reading 12 External links History Alcatraz Island, 1895. Alcatraz in the dawn mist, from the east. The `` parade ground '' is at left. Alcatraz Island and lighthouse at sunset The water tower and powerhouse ( at right ), which generated electricity for the island. A model of Military Point Alcatraz, 1866 -- 1868, now on display at Alcatraz Island The first Spaniard to document the island was Juan Manuel Diaz, who charted San Francisco Bay and named one of the three islands he identified as `` La Isla de los Alcatraces, '' which translates as `` The Island of the Gannets '' but is commonly believed to translate as `` The Island of the Pelicans ( Spanish for Pelicans is Pelicanos ), '' from the archaic Spanish alcatraz ( `` pelican '' ). Over the years, the Spanish version `` Alcatraz '' became popular and is now widely used. In August 1827, French Captain Auguste Bernard Duhaut - Cilly wrote ``... running past Alcatraze 's ( Pelicans ) Island... covered with a countless number of these birds. A gun fired over the feathered legions caused them to fly up in a great cloud and with a noise like a hurricane. '' The California brown pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis californicus ) is not known to nest on the island today. The Spanish built several small buildings on the island and other minor structures. Military garrison The earliest recorded owner of the island of Alcatraz is Julian Workman, to whom it was given by Mexican governor Pio Pico in June 1846, with the understanding that Workman would build a lighthouse on it. Julian Workman is the baptismal name of William Workman, co-owner of Rancho La Puente and personal friend of Pio Pico. Later in 1846, acting in his capacity as Military Governor of California, John C. Frémont, champion of Manifest Destiny and leader of the Bear Flag Republic, bought the island for $5,000 in the name of the United States government from Francis Temple. In 1850, President Millard Fillmore ordered that Alcatraz Island be set aside specifically as a United States military reservation, for military purposes based upon the U.S. acquisition of California from Mexico following the Mexican -- American War. Frémont had expected a large compensation for his initiative in purchasing and securing Alcatraz Island for the U.S. government, but the U.S. government later invalidated the sale and paid Frémont nothing. Frémont and his heirs sued for compensation during protracted but unsuccessful legal battles that extended into the 1890s. The lighthouse tower adjacent to the prison cell house Following the acquisition of California by the United States as a result of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo ( 1848 ) which ended the Mexican -- American War, and the onset of the California Gold Rush the following year, the U.S. Army began studying the suitability of Alcatraz Island for the positioning of coastal batteries to protect the approaches to San Francisco Bay. 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, eventuating in Fortress Alcatraz. The island 's first garrison at Camp Alcatraz, numbering about 200 soldiers and 11 cannons, arrived at the end of that year. When the American Civil War broke out in 1861, the island mounted 85 cannons ( increased to 105 cannons by 1866 ) in casemates around its perimeter, though the small size of the garrison meant only a fraction of the guns could be used at one time. At this time it also served as the San Francisco Arsenal for storage of firearms to prevent them falling into the hands of Confederate sympathizers. Alcatraz, built as a `` heavily fortified military site on the West Coast '', formed a `` triangle of defense '' along with Fort Point and Lime Point, and ensured security to the bay. The island was also the site of the first operational lighthouse on the West Coast of the United States. Alcatraz never fired its guns offensively, though during the war it was used to imprison Confederate sympathizers and privateers on the west coast. Military prison Main article : Alcatraz Citadel Because of its isolation from the outside by the cold, strong, hazardous currents of the waters of San Francisco Bay, Alcatraz was used to house Civil War prisoners of war ( POWs ) as early as 1861. Following the war in 1866, the army determined the fortifications and guns were being rapidly rendered obsolete by advances in military technology. Modernization efforts, including an ambitious plan to level the entire island and construct shell - proof underground magazines and tunnels, were undertaken between 1870 and 1876 but never completed ( the so - called `` parade ground '' on the southern tip of the island represents the extent of the flattening effort ). Instead, the army switched the focus of its plans for Alcatraz from coastal defense to detention, a task for which it was well suited because of its isolation. In 1867, a brick jailhouse was built ( previously inmates had been kept in the basement of the guardhouse ), and in 1868, Alcatraz was officially designated a long - term detention facility for military prisoners. The facility was later discontinued for POWs in 1946. Among those incarcerated at Alcatraz were Confederates caught on the West Coast, and some Hopi Native American men in the 1870s. In 1898, the Spanish -- American War increased the prison population from 26 to over 450, and from 1905 to 1907 it was commanded by U.S. Army General George W. McIver. After the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, civilian prisoners were transferred to Alcatraz for safe confinement. On March 21, 1907, Alcatraz was officially designated as the Western U.S. Military Prison, later Pacific Branch, U.S. Disciplinary Barracks, 1915. In 1909 construction began on the huge concrete main cell block, designed by Major Reuben Turner, which remains the island 's dominant feature. It was completed in 1912. To accommodate the new cell block, the Citadel, a three - story barracks, was demolished down to the first floor, which was actually below ground level. The building had been constructed in an excavated pit ( creating a dry `` moat '' ) to enhance its defensive potential. The first floor was then incorporated as a basement to the new cell block, giving rise to the popular legend of `` dungeons '' below the main cell block. The Fortress was deactivated as a military prison in October 1933 and transferred to the Bureau of Prisons. During World War I, the prison held conscientious objectors, including Philip Grosser, who wrote a pamphlet entitled Uncle Sam 's Devil 's Island about his experiences. Alcatraz federal Penitentiary Main article : Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary An exterior view of the Alcatraz main cell block from the exercise yard. The United States Disciplinary Barracks on Alcatraz were acquired by the United States Department of Justice on October 12, 1933, and the island became a federal prison in August 1934. Alcatraz was designed to hold prisoners who continuously caused trouble at other federal prisons. At 9 : 40 am on August 11, 1934, the first batch of 137 prisoners arrived at Alcatraz, arriving by railroad from the United States Penitentiary in Leavenworth, Kansas at Santa Venetia, California, before being escorted to Alcatraz, handcuffed in high security coaches and guarded by some 60 special FBI agents, U.S. Marshals and railway security officials. Most of the prisoners were notorious bank robbers and murderers. The prison initially had a staff of 155, including the first warden James A. Johnston and associate warden J.E. Shuttleworth, both considered to be `` iron men ''. The staff were highly trained in security, but not rehabilitation. Cell 181 in Alcatraz where Al Capone was imprisoned During the 29 years it was in use, the jail held some of the most notorious criminals in American history, such as Al Capone, Robert Franklin Stroud ( the `` Birdman of Alcatraz '' ), George `` Machine Gun '' Kelly, Bumpy Johnson, Rafael Cancel Miranda ( a member of the Puerto Rican Nationalist Party who attacked the United States Capitol building in 1954 ), Mickey Cohen, Arthur R. `` Doc '' Barker, and Alvin `` Creepy '' Karpis ( who served more time at Alcatraz than any other inmate ). It also provided housing for the Bureau of Prisons staff and their families. During its 29 years of operation, the penitentiary claimed that no prisoner successfully escaped. A total of 36 prisoners made 14 escape attempts, two men trying twice ; 23 were caught alive, six were shot and killed during their escape, two drowned, and five are listed as `` missing and presumed drowned ''. The most violent occurred on May 2, 1946, when a failed escape attempt by six prisoners led to the Battle of Alcatraz. On June 11, 1962, Frank Morris, John Anglin, and Clarence Anglin carried out one of the most intricate escapes ever devised. Post-prison years Because the penitentiary cost much more to operate than other prisons ( nearly $10 per prisoner per day, as opposed to $3 per prisoner per day at Atlanta ), and half a century of salt water saturation had severely eroded the buildings, then Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy ordered the penitentiary closed on March 21, 1963. In addition, citizens were increasingly protesting the environmental effects of sewage released into San Francisco Bay from the approximately 250 inmates and 60 Bureau of Prisons families on the island. That year, the United States Penitentiary in Marion, Illinois, on land, opened as the replacement facility for Alcatraz. Native American occupation Main article : Occupation of Alcatraz A lingering sign of the 1969 -- 71 Native American occupation ( 2010 Photograph ). Alcatraz Island was occupied by Native American activists for the first time on March 8, 1964. The event was reported by, among others, the San Francisco Chronicle and the San Francisco Examiner. Beginning on November 20, 1969, a group of Native Americans called United Indians of All Tribes, mostly college students from San Francisco, occupied the island to protest federal policies related to American Indians. Some of them were children of Indians who had relocated in the city as part of the Bureau of Indian Affairs ' ( BIA ) Indian termination policy, which was a series of laws and policies aimed at the assimilation of Native Americans into mainstream American society, particularly by encouraging Indians to move away from the Indian reservations and into cities. A number of employees of the Bureau of Indian Affairs also occupied Alcatraz at that time, including Doris Purdy, an amateur photographer, who later produced footage of her stay on the island. The occupiers, who stayed on the island for nearly two years, demanded the island 's facilities be adapted and new structures built for an Indian education center, ecology center and cultural center. The American Indians claimed the island by provisions of the Treaty of Fort Laramie ( 1868 ) between the U.S. and the Sioux ; they said the treaty promised to return all retired, abandoned or out - of - use federal lands to the Native peoples from whom it was acquired. Indians of All Tribes then claimed Alcatraz Island by the `` Right of Discovery '', as indigenous peoples knew it thousands of years before any Europeans had come to North America. Begun by urban Indians of San Francisco, the occupation attracted other Native Americans from across the country, including American Indian Movement ( AIM ) urban activists from Minneapolis. The Alcatraz cellhouse, lighthouse, and Warden 's House which was burned out during the 1969 -- 71 Native American occupation. The Native Americans demanded reparation for the many treaties broken by the US government and for the lands which were taken from so many tribes. In discussing the Right of Discovery, the historian Troy R. Johnson states in The Occupation of Alcatraz Island, that indigenous peoples knew about Alcatraz at least 10,000 years before any European knew about any part of North America. During the nineteen months and nine days of occupation by the American Indians, several buildings at Alcatraz were damaged or destroyed by fire, including the recreation hall, the Coast Guard quarters and the warden 's home. The origin of the fires is disputed. The U.S. government demolished a number of other buildings ( mostly apartments ) after the occupation had ended. Graffiti from the period of Native American occupation are still visible at many locations on the island. During the occupation, President Richard Nixon rescinded the Indian termination policy, designed by earlier administrations to end federal recognition of tribes and their special relationship with the US government. He established a new policy of self - determination, in part as a result of the publicity and awareness created by the occupation. The occupation ended on June 11, 1971. Landmarks Main article : List of Alcatraz Island features The entire Alcatraz Island was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976, and was further declared a National Historic Landmark in 1986. In 1993, the National Park Service published a plan entitled Alcatraz Development Concept and Environmental Assessment. This plan, approved in 1980, doubled the amount of Alcatraz accessible to the public to enable visitors to enjoy its scenery and bird, marine, and animal life. Map of Alcatraz Baker Beach Boat Dock Building 64 Citadel Dining Hall Former Military Chapel ( Bachelor Quarters ) Helipad Library Lighthouse Main Cellhouse Model Industries Building Morgue New Industries Building Officers ' Club Parade Grounds Power House Recreation Yard Wardens House Water Tower Development Today, American Indigenous groups, such as the International Indian Treaty Council, hold ceremonies on the island, most notably, their `` Sunrise Gatherings '' every Columbus Day and Thanksgiving Day. The Global Peace Foundation proposed to raze the prison and build a peace center in its place. During the previous year, supporters collected 10,350 signatures that placed it on the presidential primary ballots in San Francisco for February 5, 2008. The proposed plan was estimated at $ 1 billion. For the plan to pass, Congress would have to have taken Alcatraz out of the National Park Service. Critics of the plan said that Alcatraz is too rich in history to be destroyed. On February 6, 2008, the Alcatraz Island Global Peace Center Proposition C failed to pass, with 72 % of voters rejecting the proposition. The coastal environment of the San Francisco Bay Area has caused deterioration and corrosion of building materials throughout Alcatraz. Beginning in 2011, the National Park Service began major renovations on the island, including the installation of solar panels on the cell house roof, slope stabilization near the Warden 's House and the stabilization and rehabilitation of the outer cell house walls. Art Recently, Alcatraz has been home to several art installations. The famous Chinese artist / dissident Ai Weiwei staged an exhibition which explored `` questions about human rights and freedom of expression '' called @ Large. This 2014 exhibit included Lego portraits of famous political prisoners. In 2016, Nelson Saiers used math and prison slang as central elements in a six - month installation that addressed irrationally long prison sentences. Fauna and flora Habitat Brandt 's cormorant nesting on Alcatraz Island Cisterns. A bluff that, because of its moist crevices, is believed to be an important site for California slender salamanders. Cliff tops at the island 's north end. Containing a onetime manufacturing building and a plaza, the area is listed as important to nesting and roosting birds. The powerhouse area. A steep embankment where native grassland and creeping wild rye support a habitat for deer mice. Tide pools. A series of them, created by long - ago quarrying activities, contains still - unidentified invertebrate species and marine algae. They form one of the few tide - pool complexes in the bay, according to the report. Western cliffs and cliff tops. Rising to heights of nearly 100 feet ( 30 m ), they provide nesting and roosting sites for seabirds including pigeon guillemots, cormorants, Heermann 's gulls, and western gulls. Harbor seals can occasionally be seen on a small beach at the base. The parade grounds. Carved from the hillside during the late 19th century and covered with rubble since the government demolished guard housing in 1971, the area has become a habitat and breeding ground for black - crowned night herons, western gulls, slender salamanders, and deer mice. The Agave Path, a trail named for its dense growth of agave. Located atop a shoreline bulkhead on the south side, it provides a nesting habitat for night herons. Alcatraz prison and its surroundings. Flora This section does not cite any sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. ( March 2017 ) Flowers on Alcatraz Gardens planted by families of the original Army post, and later by families of the prison guards, fell into neglect after the prison closure in 1963. After 40 years, they are being restored by a paid staff member and many volunteers, thanks to funding by the Garden Conservancy and the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy. The untended gardens had become severely overgrown and had developed into a nesting habitat and sanctuary for numerous birds. Now, areas of bird habitat are being preserved and protected, while many of the gardens are being restored to their original state. In clearing out the overgrowth, workers found that many of the original plants were growing where they had been planted -- some more than 100 years ago. Numerous heirloom rose hybrids, including a Welsh rose ( Bardou Job ) that had been believed to be extinct, have been discovered and propagated. Many species of roses, succulents, and geraniums are growing among apple and fig trees, banks of sweet peas, manicured gardens of cutting flowers, and wildly overgrown sections of native grasses with blackberry and honeysuckle. In popular culture Main article : Alcatraz Island in popular culture Alcatraz Island appears often in media and popular culture, including films dating from 1962 : The Book of Eli ( 2010 ), X-Men : The Last Stand ( 2006 ), Catch Me If You Can ( 2002 ), The Rock ( 1996 ), Murder in the First ( 1995 ), Escape from Alcatraz ( 1979 ), The Enforcer ( 1976 ), Point Blank ( 1967 ), Birdman of Alcatraz ( 1962 ) and J.J. Abrams ' 2012 television series Alcatraz. It also was featured in the Yu - Gi - Oh ! Duel Monsters anime, in the book Al Capone Does My Shirts, in the video game Tony Hawk 's Pro Skater 4 as a playable level, and in the video game Call of Duty : Black Ops II in a downloadable zombie survival map called `` Mob of the Dead ''. It is also featured as a playable racetrack in the 1996 arcade racing video game San Francisco Rush : Extreme Racing. Alcatraz has also been portrayed often as a safe haven or base of operations in many post-apocalyptic movies, such as The Book of Eli. Alcatraz is featured in the episode `` Bird Mummy of Alcatraz '' in the children 's program, Mummies Alive ! and was also featured in a mission in the video game Watch Dogs 2. Alcatraz is also featured as a downloadable map in the video game The Escapists. Alcatraz will also feature in the upcoming video game Call of Duty : Black Ops IIII 's zombie map `` Blood of the Dead ''. Gallery A panorama of Alcatraz as viewed from San Francisco Bay, facing east. Sather Tower and UC Berkeley are visible in the background on the right. ( Drag image left and right to show full panorama. ) Different view of the Water Tower built in 1940. Alcatraz Utility House and Power Plant Chimney, built in 1939. School House ( two story building in the middle ) and the Electric Repair shop ( foreground ) built in 1930s. Views of both long sides of the island. Alcatraz Island harbor guards tower. Alcatraz Island view from the west. Image shot from an altitude of approximately 1,800 ft ( 549 m ). Alcatraz view from tour boat. See also San Francisco Bay Area portal Government of the United States portal Prisons portal Islands portal Asinara Château d'If Devil 's Island List of islands of California Robben Island Cellular Jail References ^ Jump up to : `` Alcatraz Island ''. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Encyclopædia Britannica. 2009. Retrieved August 20, 2009. ^ Jump up to : National Park Service ( 2007 - 01 - 23 ). `` National Register Information System ''. National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. ^ Jump up to : `` Alcatraz Island ''. National Historic Landmark summary listing. National Park Service. Archived from the original on October 12, 2007. Retrieved October 22, 2007. Jump up ^ Odier, Odier ( 1982 ). The Rock : A History of Alcatraz : The Fort / The Prison. L'Image Odier. ISBN 0 - 9611632 - 0 - 8. ^ Jump up to : `` This Is An Alcatraz Documentary ( Part 1 ) ''. Narrated by Howard Duff. 1971. Retrieved August 30, 2012. Jump up ^ `` Alcatraz Island ''. Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. Jump up ^ `` The March of Portolá and the Log of the San Carlos -- Zoeth S. Eldredge & E.J. Molera -- Log of the San Carlos ''. Books-about-california.com. Archived from the original on February 13, 2011. Retrieved January 24, 2011. Jump up ^ `` The History of Alcatraz Island ''. Alcatrazhistory.com. Retrieved January 24, 2011. Jump up ^ `` History : Military Fortress ''. Alcatrazcruises.com. Retrieved January 24, 2011. ^ Jump up to : `` BOP : Alcatraz ''. Bop.gov. Archived from the original on January 9, 2011. Retrieved January 24, 2011. Jump up ^ `` Alcatraz Island -- History & Culture ( U.S. National Park Service ) ''. Nps.gov. March 27, 2010. Archived from the original on February 28, 2011. Retrieved January 24, 2011. Jump up ^ Auguste Duhaut - Cilly ( 1999 ). A Voyage to California, the Sandwich Islands, and Around the World in the Years 1826 -- 1829. University of California Press. p. 284. ISBN 978 - 0 - 520 - 21752 - 2. Jump up ^ The Rock ( 1915 ). `` A Brief History of the Island of Alcatraz ''. The Rock. Improvement Fund, Pacific Branch United States Disciplinary Barracks, Alcatraz, California. 1 ( January ) : 3. Jump up ^ `` Full text of `` The expeditions of John Charles Frémont '' ``. Archive.org. Retrieved January 24, 2011. ^ Jump up to : `` Famous Hauntings ''. Sgha.net. Archived from the original on January 12, 2013. Retrieved January 24, 2011. Jump up ^ `` h2g2 -- Alcatraz, San Francisco, California, USA ''. BBC. Retrieved January 24, 2011. ^ Jump up to : `` Alcatraz - World War II in the San Francisco Bay Area : A National Register of Historic Places Travel Itinerary ''. Nps.gov. Retrieved January 24, 2011. ^ Jump up to : Hannings, Bud ( March 2005 ). Forts of the United States : An Historical Dictionary, 16th Through 19th Centuries. Jefferson, North Carolina : McFarland & Co Inc. p. 36. ISBN 978 - 0 - 7864 - 1796 - 4. Jump up ^ `` Historic Posts, Camps, Stations and Airfields : Post at Alcatraz Island ''. Militarymuseum.org. Archived from the original on February 6, 2011. Retrieved January 24, 2011. Jump up ^ Alcatraz Preservation Project : Exposing the Layers of An American Landmark ( pamphlet ), Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, 2003. Jump up ^ `` The most painful story of resistance to assimilation programs and compulsory school attendance laws involved the Hopis in Arizona, who surrendered a group of men to the military rather than voluntarily relinquish their children. The Hopi men served time in federal prison at Alcatraz ''. Child, Brenda J. ( February 2000 ). Boarding School Seasons : American Indian Families, 1900 -- 1940. University of Nebraska Press. p. 13. ISBN 0 - 8032 - 6405 - 4. Jump up ^ Grosser, P., Block, H., Blackwell, A.S., & Berkman, A. ( 1933 ). Uncle Sam 's Devil 's Island : Experiences of a Conscientious Objector in America during the World War. Boston Jump up ^ Oliver, Marilyn Tower ( 1998 ). Alcatraz Prison in American HIstory. Berkley Heights, NJ : Enslow Publishers Inc. p. 9. ISBN 0 - 89490 - 990 - 8. Jump up ^ `` For Desperate or Irredeemable Types United States Federal Penitentiary Alcatraz ''. A History of Alcatraz Island, 1847 -- 1972, Historic Resources Study. Retrieved September 6, 2012. Jump up ^ `` Former Alcatraz inmate speaks about his time '', San Francisco Examiner, by D. Morita ; October 9, 2009 Jump up ^ `` Alcatraz Escape Attempts ''. Alcatrazhistory.com. Retrieved January 24, 2011. Jump up ^ Ocean View Publishing Company. `` A Brief History of Alcatraz, p. 5 ''. Alcatrazhistory.com. Retrieved July 18, 2012. Jump up ^ Occupation of Alcatraz, 11 - 29 - 1969. YouTube. November 27, 2008. Jump up ^ Alcatraz Island Archived September 23, 2006, at the Wayback Machine., California State University Long Beach Jump up ^ Indians of All Tribes, Alcatraz Is Not an Island, Berkeley, Wingbow Press, 1972 Jump up ^ Stephen A. Haller ( April 15, 1985 ). `` National Register of Historic Places Inventory - Nomination : Alcatraz Island / La Isla de los Alcatraces / Fort Alcatraz / The Post at Alcatraz / Pacific Branch, U.S. Military Prison / U.S. Disciplinary Barracks, Alcatraz Island / United States Penitentiary ad Alcatraz Island '' ( PDF ). National Park Service. Retrieved June 21, 2009. and Accompanying 18 photos, exterior and interior, from 1985, 1980, and undated. ( 4.03 MB ) Jump up ^ https://web.archive.org/web/20061015075505/https://www.nps.gov/archive/goga/admin/planning/alca-eis/doc/chap1.doc Jump up ^ Adams, Gerald D., Alcatraz Proposal Highlights Wildlife Plan Would Open Up More of Rock, San Francisco Examiner ( July 27, 1993 ), News section, p. A1. Jump up ^ `` Voters consider changing Alcatraz to peace center ''. Reuters. February 4, 2008. Jump up ^ Locke, Michelle ( February 2, 2008 ). `` LJWorld.com / Activist wants to transform Alcatraz into global peace center ''... ljworld.com. Retrieved January 24, 2011. Jump up ^ `` Elections and Results KNTV Bay Area ''. NBC 11. Retrieved January 24, 2011. Jump up ^ `` @ Large Ai Weiwei on Alcatraz ''. NPS.GOV. Jump up ^ Levi, Ryan. `` Alcatraz Displays Irrational Numbers & Irrationally Long Prison Sentences ''. KQED.ORG. Jump up ^ Andrews, David. `` ' Hung Out to Dry ' : New Alcatraz art exhibit examines prison industrial complex ''. SFGATE.COM. Further reading Erwin N. Thompson. `` The Rock : A history of Alcatraz Island, 1847 -- 1972 '' ( PDF ). National Park Service. United States Department of Interior. The Rock ( 1915 ). `` A Brief History of the Island of Alcatraz ( continued in multiple issues ) ''. The Rock. Improvement Fund, Pacific Branch United States Disciplinary Barracks, Alcatraz, California. 1 ( January ) : 3. External links Alcatraz Island. This article 's use of external links may not follow Wikipedia 's policies or guidelines. Please improve this article by removing excessive or inappropriate external links, and converting useful links where appropriate into footnote references. ( November 2017 ) Official website AlcatrazHistory.com : Alcatraz History website -- homepage Alldocumentaries.org : Alcatraz History documentary movie American Devils Island Holds Toughest Prisoners -- Popular Science ( February 1935 ). Federal Bureau of Prisons.gov : `` A Brief History of Alcatraz '' California State Military Museum.org : The Post at Alcatraz Island 2012 KDRTradio.org : Interview with former Alcatraz convict Robert Luke Report on the 1962 Alcatraz escape incident -- ( from the FBI FOIA electronic reading room ). Mapicurious.com : Map of Alcatraz -- with marker pictures. Alcatraz : A Prison as Disneyland. Chris Hedges ( December 2014 ). Alcatraz Island, Part of Golden Gate National Recreation Area, National Park Service at Google Cultural Institute Alcatraz Island General Fort Alcatraz General McPherson ( ship ) Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary Battle of Alcatraz June 1962 escape from Alcatraz ( book film ) Occupation of Alcatraz Alcatraz Island in popular culture Legends of Alcatraz Buildings Main Cellhouse Dining Hall Hospital Library Warden 's House Building 64 Former Military Chapel ( Bachelor Quarters ) Social Hall Morgue New Industries Building Model Industries Building Lighthouse Power House Water Tower Grounds Baker Beach Parade Grounds Little Alcatraz Recreation Yard Wharf Lists Features Inmates Escape attempts People Fort commanders James B. McPherson Joseph Stewart William A. Winder Wardens James A. Johnston ( 1934 -- 1948 ) Edwin B. Swope ( 1948 -- 1955 ) Paul J. Madigan ( 1955 -- 1961 ) Olin G. Blackwell ( 1961 -- 1963 ) Associate wardens Cecil J. Shuttleworth ( 1934 -- 1937 ) Edward J. Miller ( 1937 -- 1947 ) Paul J. Madigan ( 1947 -- 1955 ) Olin G. Blackwell ( 1959 -- 1961 ) Arthur M. Dollison ( 1961 -- 1963 ) Richard J. Willard ( 1961 -- 1963 ) Notable inmates Harvey Bailey ( `` The Dean of American Bank Robbers '' ) Basil Banghart ( `` The Owl '' ) Arthur Barker ( `` Doc '' ) Albert L. Bates Joseph Bowers ( `` Dutch '' ) James Bulger ( `` Whitey '' ) Al Capone ( `` Scarface '' ) Meyer Cohen ( `` Mickey '' ) Theodore Cole ( `` Ted '' ) Bernard Coy Joseph Cretzer Volney Davis ( `` Curley '' ) Herbert Farmer ( `` Deafy '' ) Rufus Franklin John Giles Ellsworth Raymond Johnson ( `` Bumpy '' ) Alvin Francis Karpavicz ( `` Creepy Karpis '' ) George Celino Barnes ( `` Machine Gun Kelly '' ) Thomas Limerick James Lucas ( `` Texas Bank Robber '' ) Rafael Cancel Miranda Rufus McCain Rufe Persful Ralph Roe Sam Shockley Robert Stroud ( `` Birdman of Alcatraz '' ) Henri Young Golden Gate National Recreation Area Parks Marin County Muir Woods National Monument Muir Beach Olema Valley Stinson Beach Bolinas Ridge Tennessee Valley Oakwood Valley Marin Headlands Point Bonita Fort Baker Fort Barry Fort Cronkhite San Francisco Presidio of San Francisco Alcatraz Lands End Sutro Baths Fort Miley Sutro Heights Ocean Beach Fort Funston Crissy Field Fort Point Fort Mason San Francisco Maritime National Historic Park San Mateo County Mori Point Sweeney Ridge Milagra Ridge Rancho Corral de Tierra Phleger Estate People Ohlone People Coast Miwok John Muir William Kent Natural Settings San Francisco Bay Area Climate Geology Ecosystems Golden Gate Biosphere Reserve Natural Disasters Cosco Busan oil spill History Marincello Founding and Growth Bay Area Parks Golden Gate Park Park Presidio Marin Municipal Water District Bay Area Ridge Trail San Francisco Bay Trail Mount Tamalpais State Park Point Reyes National Seashore Pinnacles National Park Administration National Park Service Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy Presidio Trust Related Dipsea Race Golden Gate Bridge San Francisco attractions Landmarks 49 - Mile Drive Alcatraz Bay Bridge Cable cars The Castro Chinatown City Hall Cliff House Coit Tower F - Market Streetcar Fairmont Hotel Federal Reserve Bank Ferry Building Fisherman 's Wharf Fort Mason Fort Point Ghirardelli Square Golden Gate Bridge Grace Cathedral Haight - Ashbury Jack Kerouac Alley Lombard Street Mark Hopkins Hotel Market Street Mission Dolores Nob Hill North Beach Old U.S. Mint Painted ladies Palace of Fine Arts Peace Pagoda Pier 39 Public Library Sutro Baths Sutro Tower Transamerica Pyramid Treasure Island Union Square Museums and art Asian Art Museum Aquarium of the Bay Cable Car Museum California Academy of Sciences Cartoon Art Museum Children 's Creativity Museum Chinese Historical Society Museum Conservatory of Flowers Contemporary Jewish Museum Walt Disney Family Museum de Young Museum Exploratorium Haas -- Lilienthal House Legion of Honor Musée Mécanique Museo ItaloAmericano Museum of Performance & Design Museum of the African Diaspora Precita Eyes Randall Museum Ripley 's Believe It or Not ! San Francisco Art Institute Diego Rivera Gallery San Francisco Museum of Modern Art San Francisco Maritime Railway Museum USS Pampanito Wattis Institute for Contemporary Arts Parks and recreation Alamo Square Bay Area Ridge Trail Candlestick Point Corona Heights Crissy Field Mission Dolores Park Glen Canyon Golden Gate National Recreation Area Golden Gate Park Lafayette Park Lake Merced Marina Green McLaren Park Mount Davidson Mount Sutro Ocean Beach The Presidio San Francisco Bay Trail San Francisco Zoo Stern Grove Twin Peaks Yerba Buena Gardens Views Coit Tower Twin Peaks Seal Rocks / Ocean Beach Baker Beach Golden Gate Bridge Fort Funston Hamon Observation Tower at the de Young Museum Strawberry Hill Crissy Field Pacific Heights Alamo Square / Painted ladies Top of the Mark Alcatraz Treasure Island Lombard Street Powell - Hyde Cable Car Ferry Building Bernal Hill 49 - Mile Scenic Drive Hawk Hill Fort Baker Entertainment American Conservatory Theater Bill Graham Civic Auditorium Cow Palace The Fillmore War Memorial and Performing Arts Center Yerba Buena Center for the Arts Sports San Francisco Giants AT&T Park Kezar Stadium Food and drink Anchor Steam Boudin Bakery Buena Vista Cafe Cioppino Dungeness crab Ghirardelli Square Mission burrito Tadich Grill Tonga Room & Hurricane Bar Top of the Mark Shopping Japan Center Metreon Stonestown Galleria Union Square Westfield San Francisco Centre National Register of Historic Places listings in San Francisco City and County of San Francisco History Timeline Culture Landmarks Media Museums Neighborhoods Notable people Skyscrapers Theatres Universities Government City Hall Mayor Board of Supervisors Superior Court San Francisco consulates Sister cities Arts Commission Board of Education City Attorney District Attorney Ethics Commission Fire Department Human Rights Commission San Francisco International Airport Municipal Transportation Agency Police Commission Police Department Port of San Francisco Public Library Public Utilities Commission Public Works Recreation & Parks Department Sheriff 's Department Transportation Authority San Francisco Unified School District Youth Commission Transit AC Transit Amtrak California BART Caltrain Clipper card Golden Gate Ferry Golden Gate Transit SamTrans San Francisco Bay Ferry San Francisco Municipal Railway SolTrans WestCAT Parks Alamo Square Balboa Park Buena Vista Park Candlestick Point Corona Heights Park Dolores Park Glen Canyon Park Golden Gate National Recreation Area Golden Gate Park Grand View Park Lafayette Park Lake Merced Lincoln Park McLaren Park Mountain Lake Park Panhandle Pine Lake Park Pioneer Park / Coit Tower The Presidio San Francisco Maritime Stern Grove South Park Sutro Heights Park Washington Square Park Yerba Buena Gardens Related articles Golden Gate Bridge Fisherman 's Wharf Alcatraz Island Cable Cars Topics Category Portal San Francisco Bay watershed Outline Hydrography Ecology List of tributaries List of lakes Subdivisions Major San Francisco Bay Suisun Bay San Pablo Bay Minor Golden Gate Grizzly Bay Richardson Bay San Rafael Bay Richmond Inner Harbor San Leandro Bay Former Yerba Buena Cove Mission Bay Waterways Rivers San Joaquin Sacramento Napa Guadalupe Petaluma Creeks ( discharging into the Bay ) Alameda Baxter Cerrito Codornices Coyote ( Santa Clara ) Coyote ( Marin ) San Leandro San Lorenzo Schoolhouse Temescal Sausal Redwood San Mateo Sonoma Corte Madera Arroyo Corte Madera del Presidio San Rafael Miller Novato Tolay San Francisquito Pacheco Alhambra Adobe Rodeo Refugio Pinole Garrity Rheem Karlson San Pablo Castro Wildcat Fluvius Innominatus Marin ( Alameda County ) Strawberry Easton Mission Creek Reservoirs Calaveras Reservoir Lafayette Reservoir Straits and estuaries Sacramento -- San Joaquin River Delta Carquinez Strait Oakland Estuary Raccoon Strait Parks and protected areas Don Edwards National Wildlife Refuge San Pablo Bay National Wildlife Refuge Eden Landing Ecological Reserve Hayward Regional Shoreline Hayward Shoreline Interpretive Center Crown Memorial State Beach McLaughlin Eastshore State Park Emeryville Crescent State Marine Reserve Point Isabel Regional Shoreline César Chávez Park Brooks Island Regional Shoreline Point Pinole Regional Shoreline Antioch Dunes National Wildlife Refuge Coyote Point Park Middle Harbor Shoreline Park National Estuarine Research Reserve China Camp State Park San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park SF Bay Trail Oyster Bay Regional Shoreline Big Break Regional Shoreline Islands and peninsulas Major islands Alameda Alcatraz Angel Treasure Island Yerba Buena Minor Brooks Bair Bay Farm Belvedere Brother Castro Rocks Coast Guard Greco Mare Red Rock The Sisters Marin Islands Roe Ryer Seal Islands Peninsulas / infill Albany Bulb Point Isabel Foster City Fleming Point Hunters Point Steamboat Point Potrero Point Wetlands Chelsea Cordelia Crissy Field Hoffman Meeker Mowry Napa Sonoma Point Molate Seal Stege Suisun Westpoint Bridges and tubes Bridges San Francisco -- Oakland Eastern span replacement Richmond -- San Rafael San Mateo -- Hayward Dumbarton Golden Gate Benicia -- Martinez Antioch Carquinez Leimert Park Street Fruitvale High Street Bay Farm Island Tubes Posey / Webster Street Transbay Ferries Angel Island -- Tiburon Ferry Blue & Gold Fleet Golden Gate Ferry San Francisco Bay Ferry ( WETA ) Ports and marinas Port of San Francisco Port of Oakland Port of Richmond Hunters Point Naval Shipyard Mare Island Naval Shipyard Port of Redwood City Berkeley Marina Oyster Point Marina / Park Clipper Yacht Harbor Westpoint Harbor Foster City Marina ( proposed ) Other Discovery Site Humphrey the Whale Cosco Busan oil spill Delta and Dawn Golden Gate Biosphere Reserve Ridgway 's rail / California clapper rail Reber Plan San Leandro Oyster Beds Thicktail chub Delta smelt Richmond Shipyards U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Bay Model Guadalupe Watershed Clifton Court Forebay Conservation and Development Commission The Watershed Project Save The Bay Harold Gilliam Marincello Citizens for East Shore Parks Friends of Five Creeks Urban Creeks Council Cargill salt infill 1971 oil spill Greenbelt Alliance The Bay Institute San Francisco Baykeeper San Francisco Estuary and Watershed Science Water Trail Estuary Partnership Leslie Salt Portal Category National Register of Historic Places in California Lists by county Alameda Alpine Amador Butte Calaveras Colusa Contra Costa Del Norte El Dorado Fresno Glenn Humboldt Imperial Inyo Kern Kings Lake Lassen Los Angeles County Madera Marin Mariposa Mendocino Merced Modoc Mono Monterey Napa Nevada Orange Placer Plumas Riverside Sacramento San Benito San Bernardino San Diego San Francisco San Joaquin San Luis Obispo San Mateo Santa Barbara Santa Clara Santa Cruz Shasta Sierra Siskiyou Solano Sonoma Stanislaus Sutter Tehama Trinity Tulare Tuolumne Ventura Yolo Yuba Lists by city Los Angeles Pasadena San Francisco Other lists Bridges California Historical Landmarks National Historic Landmarks National Natural Landmarks Keeper of the Register History of the National Register of Historic Places Property types Historic district Contributing property Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Alcatraz_Island&oldid=854182090 '' Categories : Alcatraz Island Islands of San Francisco Islands of San Francisco Bay Golden Gate National Recreation Area Parks in San Francisco Forts in California National Historic Landmarks in the San Francisco Bay Area National Register of Historic Places in San Francisco National Park Service areas in California 1850 establishments in California Protected areas established in 1972 1972 establishments in California Landmarks in San Francisco Tourist attractions in the San Francisco Bay Area Historic districts on the National Register of Historic Places in California Prison islands Hidden categories : Webarchive template wayback links Use mdy dates from January 2018 Coordinates on Wikidata Articles containing Spanish - language text All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from September 2008 Articles needing additional references from March 2017 All articles needing additional references Wikipedia external links cleanup from November 2017 Wikipedia spam cleanup from November 2017 Talk Views Contents About Wikipedia Afrikaans Azərbaycanca বাংলা Bikol Central Български Boarisch Bosanski Cebuano Čeština Cymraeg Dansk Deutsch Ελληνικά Español Esperanto Euskara فارسی Français Gaeilge 한국어 Hrvatski Bahasa Indonesia Íslenska Italiano Basa Jawa Қазақша لۊری شومالی Lëtzebuergesch Lietuvių Magyar Македонски Bahasa Melayu Nederlands 日本 語 Norsk Occitan پنجابی Polski Português Română Русский Scots Shqip Simple English Slovenčina Српски / srpski Srpskohrvatski / српскохрватски Suomi Svenska ไทย Türkçe Українська Tiếng Việt 中文 46 more Edit links This page was last edited on 9 August 2018, at 14 : 18 ( UTC ). Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution - ShareAlike License ; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia ® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization. About Wikipedia

Question: when did alcatraz open as a federal prison
Answer: 1934