The History of Alcatraz

Sitting in the middle of the San Francisco Bay is the infamous Alcatraz Island. While Alcatraz, and its infamous nickname “The Rock,” is best known as being a maximum-security prison for the likes of Al Capone and James “Whitey” Bulger, its history stretches far beyond those days.

Long before the island became known as Alcatraz, it was an area that Native Americans avoided because they believed it contained evil spirits. The Ohlone Native Americans used the island as a banishment site for people who violated their tribal laws. Despite the fact that they avoided the island, they would use it for gathering food, especially eggs and sea-life.

In 1769, the first Europeans to visit the island were the Spanish who gave it the name Isla de Los Alcatraces, which translates to Island of the Pelicans because it was home to a large pelican population. Later on, its name was shortened to Alcatraz. As the Spanish created more missions throughout what is now California, the Ohlone used the island as a place to escape the Christianity that was being forced upon them.

After the end of the Mexican-American War in 1848, the US took control of California along with the island. Not long after this did the American Military noticed the strategic position of the island. In 1853 they started working on creating a defensive base for San Francisco Bay. This construction began…