Rising like a jagged stone from the icy waters of San Francisco Bay, Alcatraz Island has long captured the world’s imagination. Known today as one of the most infamous prisons in American history, Alcatraz’s story stretches far beyond its iron bars and escape attempts. It is a tale of transformation — from a military fortress to a maximum-security federal prison, and eventually to a symbol of resilience and redemption. Long before it became synonymous with confinement, Alcatraz served as a military outpost.
In 1850, President Millard Fillmore ordered that the rocky island be reserved for military use, recognizing its strategic location at the entrance of San Francisco Bay. By the 1850s, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers had fortified the island, constructing massive walls and gun emplacements to protect the growing port city from potential naval attacks. The structure became known as Fort Alcatraz, a fortress that stood as a symbol of federal power in the newly settled West. However, Alcatraz’s role soon evolved. During the American Civil War, it was used not only as a defense site but also as a military prison — housing Confederate sympathizers, deserters, and later, Native American resisters.
