Even More Fun-Filled Facts 'bout San Francisco: Alcatraz

From the SFHotelstories History File: Places

Alcatraz

Means pelican in Spanish.

Originally a military prison.

Only open as the federal prison Alcatraz, as we know it, for 29 years.

Seven years after closing Native americas occupied it for over a year.

Some of these crazy ideas were actually considered for its post-prison future:  Building a Statue of Liberty-sized statue of Justice, building a 364 foot tower complete with shops and restaurants, and turning the island into a casino.

Alcatraz has been seen in the films Birdman of Alcatraz, The Enforcer, Escape from Alcatraz, The Rock, and the short-lived TV series, “Alcatraz” starring Sam Neil of Jurassic Park fame.

The island became adapted and used as a prison by the Federal Bureau of Prisons in August 1934.