Alcatraz Island, part of Golden Gate National Recreation Area in San Francisco Bay, may be best known for the escape-proof federal penitentiary that stood on its grounds from 1933 to 1963. But the island's famed history can be traced back more than a century.
An American first acquired Alcatraz in the mid-1800s to build a lighthouse. The government soon after gained control of the island to use during the Civil War to protect American coasts and imprison confederate sympathizers.
The Alcatraz Night Tour offers a narrated boat ride around the island and a guided tour of the main prison house including several cell blocks. Doing Time: The Alcatraz Cellhouse Tour features an audio presentation from actual prisoners and correctional officers who worked there.
George "Machine Gun" Kelly, a prohibition-era gangster, was one of Alcatraz's first prisoners. Al Capone is by far the most recognizable of Alcatraz inmates, having served four and a half years on The Rock.
Day-trippers can explore the Civil War-era buildings that served as forts and military prisons during the 19th century. There are also artifacts from the American Indians who occupied the island following the closure of the penitentiary.
Visitors can also see the Gardens of Alcatraz. Families of prison workers had tea parties there, and well-behaved inmates had gardening privileges. In 2003, the Garden Conservancy restored this historic site.
