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Alcatraz Island, commonly referred to as simply Alcatraz or locally as The Rock, is a small island located in the middle of San Francisco Bay in California, United States. Due to its isolation by the cold, strong, hazardous currents of San Francisco Bay, Alcatraz was used to house Civil War prisoners as early as 186112. It has a fascinating history that includes being a lighthouse, a military fort, and a federal prison. From 1934 to 1963, it served as a federal prison for some of the most dangerous civilian prisoners, including infamous figures like Al Capone, George (“Machine Gun”) Kelly, and Robert Stroud, the “Birdman of Alcatraz” (the subject of the 1962 film of the same name) 1. Although the Alcatraz penitentiary was able to house 450 convicts in cells that measured about 10 by 4.5 feet (3 by 1.5 meters), no more than 250 prisoners ever occupied the island at one time. Escape attempts were rare, but a few inmates did escape from the island; whether they survived the currents of the bay is unknown. One daring escape was popularized in the film Escape from Alcatraz (1979) 1. Today, Alcatraz Island is a popular tourist attraction and a museum, revealing stories of American incarceration, justice, and our common humanity 13. If you ever visit San Francisco, don’t miss the chance to explore this iconic and historically significant island! 🌊🏝️
