Alcatraz Island Alcatraz Island Alcatraz Island () is located in San Francisco Bay, offshore from San Francisco, California, United States. The small island was developed with facilities for a lighthouse, a military fortification, a military prison (1828), and a federal prison from 1934 until 1963. Beginning in November 1969, the island was occupied for more than 19 months by a group of Native Americans from San Francisco, who were part of a wave of Native activism across the nation, with public protests through the 1970s. In 1972, Alcatraz became part of a national recreation area and received designation as a National Historic
Alcatraz Island in popular culture a makeshift task force to track down the inmates and prevent them from committing further crimes while also determining the reasons for their return. Alcatraz's isolated and fortified image has meant that it has been used as a location for fictional hostage scenarios in various instances. A number of books were written or co-authored by former Alcatraz prisoners, e.g.: "Island in the Sun", the band's debut single from 1983, makes multiple lyrical references to Alcatraz Island. Alcatraz Island in popular culture Alcatraz Island has appeared many times in popular culture. Its appeal as a picturesque film setting derives from its