A View of the Rock

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Floating in the middle of the bay, Alcatraz Island presents a view unlike any other. While it's famous as a military prison and a federal penitentiary, its history is far deeper. It served as the first U.S.

fortress on the West Coast and even the first lighthouse in the region. When you look back at the San Francisco skyline from the island's shores, the distance emphasizes the isolation that made this place so formidable. From its time as a Civil War fortress to its role in the American Indian Red Power movement, the island stands as a stark, rocky silhouette against the shimmering waters of the bay.

Updated June 2026