This book traces the intriguing history of Alcatraz Island, located off the coast of San Francisco, from the earliest years of Spanish exploration to the present day. Highlighting the unique geographical features of the ...This book traces the intriguing history of Alcatraz Island, located off the coast of San Francisco, from the earliest years of Spanish exploration to the present day. Highlighting the unique geographical features of the island, it shows how Alcatraz went through many changes, being used over the years as a military facility, a notorious federal prison widely believed to be escape-proof, as well as the site of American Indian uprisings.