United States Penitentiary, Alcatraz Island or simply Alcatraz (literally meaning the Gannet in Spanish) was an infamous prison located on Alcatraz Island, San Francisco Bay, California, the United States. Originally built as a military prison, Alcatraz would later serve as a maximum security federal prison from 1933-1963. The former prison would be widely known for the escape attempt in the summer of 1962 before its full closure.
