ălˈkətrăzˌ [Sp. Álcatraces=pelicans], rocky island in San Francisco Bay, W Calif, about one mile (1.61 km) north of San Francisco. First visited by the Spanish in 1769, it was named for its large pelican colony. The Spanish fortified Alcatraz, which came under U.S. control in 1851. The island was used as a U.S. military prison from 1859 until 1933, when it became a federal prison housing the most dangerous criminals; it was closed in 1963. Nicknamed "The Rock," it was a symbol of the impregnable fortress prison with maximum security and strict discipline. From 1969 to 1971 a group of Native American activists occupied the island in hopes of establishing a center there. Alcatraz became part of Golden Gate National Recreation Area in 1972, and by the mid-1990s it was attracting almost a million visitors a year.

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