How did Alcatraz Island get its name?

The name Alcatraz is derived from the Spanish "Alcatraces." In 1775, the Spanish explorer Juan Manuel de Ayala was the first to sail into what is now known as San Francisco Bay - his expedition mapped the bay and named one of the three islands Alcatraces. Over time, the name was Anglicized to Alcatraz. read more

The island received its name in 1775 when Spanish explorer Juan Manuel de Ayala charted the San Francisco Bay and named this tiny speck of land La Isla de los Alcatraces, which translated to "Island of the Pelicans."The small uninhabited island had little to offer, with its swift currents, minimal vegetation, and barren ground. read more

Hornblower Cruises and Events, operating under the name Alcatraz Cruises, is the official ferry provider to and from the island. Alcatraz Island is home to the abandoned prison, the site of the oldest operating lighthouse on the West Coast of the United States, early military fortifications, and natural features such as rock pools and a seabird colony (mostly western gulls, cormorants, and egrets). read more

The federal prison on Alcatraz Island in the chilly waters of California’s San Francisco Bay housed some of America’s most difficult and dangerous felons during its years of operation from 1934 to 1963. read more