From Pier 33 your eyes find the island that once held some of the most dangerous criminals in American history. Alcatraz became a federal penitentiary in 1934, chosen because its location in the middle of the cold, fast-moving bay made escape seem impossible. It held Al Capone, George Machine Gun Kelly, and Robert Stroud, the Birdman of Alcatraz.
The prison operated for only 29 years before it was deemed too expensive; it cost three times more to operate than any mainland prison. In 1962, three men — Frank Morris and the Anglin brothers — escaped through the ventilation shafts, using a raft made from prison raincoats. They were never found.
The FBI officially classified them as drowned. In 1969, a group of Native American activists occupied the island for 19 months, claiming it under an 1868 treaty that granted Native Americans rights to surplus federal land. The occupation focused national attention on Native American rights and is considered a landmark event in the movement.
The island is now part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. Take the ferry — the audio tour inside the cell block is narrated by former guards and prisoners.