Legends of Alcatraz Legends of Alcatraz Located in the San Francisco Bay, Alcatraz Island and Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary have been cited as one of the most haunted places in America, and also as the most haunted prison in the country. The Native Americans mentioned the evil spirits they purportedly encountered on the island long before it became a federal prison. Mark Twain documented the eerie atmosphere of the island after visiting it, described it as "being as cold as winter, even in the summer months." Prisoners, rangers and visitors have reported a wide range of alleged ghostly activity on Alcatraz, from whispering in
Alcatraz Island in popular culture Alcatraz Island in popular culture Alcatraz Island has appeared many times in popular culture. Its appeal as a picturesque film setting derives from its natural beauty, isolation and its history as a prison (now a museum) from which, officially, no prisoner ever successfully escaped. Most appearances of Alcatraz island in popular culture are related to its former status as a federal prison. Both real life and fictional accounts of imprisonment on the island have been popular. One of the best-known of Alcatraz's historic inmates was Robert Franklin Stroud, known as "The Birdman of Alcatraz". His biography was written by Thomas