Alcatraz Island

Alcatraz Island

Island in San Francisco, California, United States of America

Alcatraz Island is a small island about 1.25 miles offshore from San Francisco in San Francisco Bay, California, near the Golden Gate Strait. The island was developed in the mid-19th century with facilities for a lighthouse, a military fortification, and a military prison. In 1934, the island was converted into a federal prison, Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary. The strong tidal currents around the island and cold water temperatures made escape nearly impossible, giving the prison one of the most notorious reputations of its kind in American history. The prison closed on March 21, 1963, leaving the island a major tourist attraction today with nearly 1.4 million people visiting the island annually.

Also known as...Alcatraz
Fatal Boat Fire and Sinking Near Alcatraz

Fatal Boat Fire and Sinking Near Alcatraz A pontoon boat caught fire and sank near Alcatraz Island in San Francisco Bay, leaving one dead and two missing, with 17 passengers rescued by the Coast Guard.