August 11, 1934

On this day in history in 1934 the first federal prisoners arrived at Alcatraz Island.

The Rock's Beginnings

The prison that sits on Alcatraz

Alcatraz was first explored by the Spanish in 1775 and was named Isla de los Alcatraces, which means "Island of the Pelicans." It was fortified by the Spanish and sold to the United States in 1848. It held California's first lighthouse in 1854.

It was first used to house military prisoners in 1868 after the U.S. Army was first garrisoned there nearly ten years earlier. In the early 1900s it was officially designated as the Pacific Branch of the United States Military Prison.

Becoming a Federal Penitentiary

A former prison guard stands among the cells of Alcatraz Prison

In 1934 Alcatraz was turned into a high-security federal prison. Due to its island location it was intended for the most dangerous prisoners, especially those who were prone to escape attempts. The first civilian prisoners arrived on August 11 and a month later even more shiploads came, including infamous mobster Al Capone. Although there were over three dozen attempts, there is no known prisoner to have escaped the prison.

In 1963 Alcatraz was closed by Robert F. Kennedy, attorney general at the time. It was closed due to the high expense of its maintenance. It was opened to the public nearly ten years after it closed as a penitentiary. More than one million people visit it each year.