Alcatraz Island

Alcatraz Island Alcatraz Island is part of Golden Gate National Recreation Area. Welcome to Golden Gate NPS social media account. Please be considerate of other fan's opinions.
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Alcatraz Island offers a close-up look at the site of the first lighthouse and US built fort on the West Coast, the infamous federal penitentiary long off-limits to the public, and the 18 month occupation by Indians of All Tribes which saved the tribes. Rich in history, there is also a natural side to the Rock—gardens, tide pools, bird colonies, and bay views beyond compare. We hope this will beco

me a place where fans feel comfortable sharing information and experiences about Alcatraz with one another. While our social platforms are an open forum, they are also family friendly, so please keep your comments and wall posts clean. In addition to keeping it family friendly, we ask that you follow our posting guidelines here. If you do not comply, your message will be removed. We do not allow graphic, obscene, explicit or racial comments or submissions, nor do we allow comments that are abusive, hateful or intended to defame anyone or any organization. We do not allow solicitations or advertisements. This includes promotion or endorsement of any financial, commercial or non-governmental agency. Such posts and/or links are subject to deletion. People who continue to post such content and/or links may be subject to page participation restrictions and/or removal from the page. We do not allow attempts to defame or defraud any financial, commercial or non-governmental agency. We do not allow comments that suggest or encourage illegal activity. You participate at your own risk, taking personal responsibility for your comments, your username and any information provided. Posting of external links on this site that are intended as advertising (or to drive traffic to websites unrelated to Alcatraz), or do not contribute to dialog and discussions about Alcatraz may be deleted. People who continue to post such links may be subject to page participation restrictions and/or removal from the page. External links do not constitute official endorsement on behalf of the U.S. National Park Service or the U.S. Department of Interior. For official information about Alcatraz Island, please visit our Web site at: http://www.nps.gov/alca

In 1864, the U.S. forced the Modoc living along the California-Oregon border to abandon their ancient homeland, and move...
05/29/2026

In 1864, the U.S. forced the Modoc living along the California-Oregon border to abandon their ancient homeland, and move to the reservation of the Klamath, a rival tribe. Caught between a rock and a hard place with the Klamath persecuting the Modoc on the reservation, and white settlers resisting the Modoc who attempted to return home, some Modoc led by Keintpoos (Captain Jack) fought back.

Using their knowledge of the terrain, 50-60 Modoc warriors held out against more than 1,000 U.S. soldiers, forcing the Army to negotiate. During the peace conference, a group of Modoc killed members of the U.S. delegation, including General Edward Canby. In Modoc tradition, if the leader of a war party died, everyone had to return home to elect a new leader, so the Modoc reasoned that the General’s death would force his soldiers to retreat. However, Canby’s death had quite the opposite effect. Public sympathy for the Modoc’s plight quickly waned and the Army intensified their efforts to drive the Modoc out.

At war’s end, six Modoc, including Keintpoos, were tried for the murder of Canby. The trial was riddled with irregularities, including no defense attorney for the Modoc and the defendants’ translator was also a witness for the prosecution. All six defendants were sentenced to death by hanging. However, resurgent public sympathy for the Modoc resulted in the last-minute commutations of the two youngest defendants, Barncho and Slolux. They would instead be imprisoned on the island fortress of Alcatraz. While Slolux was eventually allowed to rejoin his people in exile in Oklahoma, Barncho would succumb to Alcatraz’s damp, windy climate, dying of scrofula (a bacterial infection) on this day in 1875.



Lava Beds National Monument

Names are spelled as they appear in “Modoc: The Tribe That Wouldn’t Die” by Cheewa James
📷Grave marker for Barncho at Golden Gate National Cemetery. NPS Photo
📷Modern Modoc medicine flag at Captain Jack’s Stronghold in Lava Beds National Monument. NPS Photo/Ray Dillingham
📷Sunset at Captain Jack’s Stronghold at Lava Beds National Monument. NPS Photo/Ray Dillingham

In honor of , we commemorate the legacy of Rabbi Rudolph Coffee. Coffee provided spiritual refreshment (no pun intended...
05/26/2026

In honor of , we commemorate the legacy of Rabbi Rudolph Coffee. Coffee provided spiritual refreshment (no pun intended) to Jewish men incarcerated at Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary from 1934, until shortly before his death in 1955. While much of his focus was on the specific needs of practicing Jews in the carceral system, he helped secure the right to the free exercise of religious obligations for all incarcerated individuals.

As the Jewish chaplain for these three institutions, Coffee advocated for the rights of the men in his care to practice their religion freely while behind bars. One of the most prominent issues he tackled was the lack of kosher meals in prisons, a necessity for many observant Jews. It is largely thanks to the efforts of Rabbi Coffee that the rights of incarcerated individuals with religious dietary needs are legally respected.

Rabbi Coffee was also a prominent advocate for prison reform, speaking against what he termed as “hard-boiled discipline” in favor of the more humane treatment of incarcerated individuals. Prior to his relocation to California, he had also spearheaded a Big Brother program for incarcerated and newly released Jewish youths in Chicago.

📷Rabbi Randolph Coffee from "The Policeman and the Public," Police Journal, March 1923.

This month marks Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month! Asian immigrants and Asian Americans have been part...
05/24/2026

This month marks Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month! Asian immigrants and Asian Americans have been part of San Francisco’s history for a long, long time. In the 1800s especially, thousands of Chinese immigrants came to the country seeking opportunities. Some of these immigrants found work here on Alcatraz Island.

On the military island fort, Chinese men worked as domestic servants in the homes of officers, often as cooks. Because California’s population exploded during the Gold Rush, most of that population was men who had the flexibility and safety to leave home. For similar reasons, most Chinese immigrants were men.

There were fewer women out west to do traditional “women’s work.” So instead, Chinese men found a niche in the domestic service. In the 1880 census, two young men listed as Ah Hung and Sam Lee were working as servants on Alcatraz in the officers’ homes. Fast forward to 1962 in the federal penitentiary, Wayne Fong, a Chinese man, was transferred from Leavenworth Penitentiary to Alcatraz on the recommendation that he be considered for the position of the warden’s residence orderly.

📷The Chinese cook, grinning from the doorway, Chinatown, San Francisco, c. 1896-1906. Library of Congress
📷An 1882 photo of Officers’ Row on Alcatraz Island shows the homes in which Sam Lee and Ah Hung likely worked. Bancroft Library
📷This detail of Wayne Fong’s page in the Alcatraz Warden’s Notebook reveals the reason Fong was transferred. Note that he has no former institutional rule violations which was uncommon among men incarcerated at USP Alcatraz. National US National Archives

Today is , celebrating the abundance of plants and animals and their importance for sustaining life on Earth. Did you k...
05/22/2026

Today is , celebrating the abundance of plants and animals and their importance for sustaining life on Earth. Did you know that there are lush gardens thriving on Alcatraz today?

When the Army first started building on the island it was a barren rock. They brought soil over from nearby Angel Island to shape the island and give plants a place to live.

Now there are over 200 different plant species thriving here on Alcatraz. These include plants from the 1860's brought by soldiers’ families, seeds imported in the 1930's by the warden’s secretary, and introduced by the National Park Service to replace those lost.

In 2003, the Garden Conservancy and the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy formed a partnership with the National Park Service to restore and maintain the gardens on Alcatraz. Some plants survived the 40 years of neglect between when the prison closed and this period, including 10 species of roses. One unique rose, the Bardou Job, originated in France in the 1880's. Warden Johnston is believed to have first brought the rose over to the island in the late 1930s or 1940s.

Today, the gardens are cared for by the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy and many dedicated volunteers. To learn more about our gardens, visit: https://www.nps.gov/alca/learn/nature/gardens.htm

📷: Infographic of flowers on Alcatraz and photograph of the burgundy Bardou Job rose. NPS / Jacqueline Quale

05/20/2026

that Alcatraz Island is the home of at least twelve native bees? 🐝

On , we celebrate these tiny but mighty pollinators. Bees and other pollinators are essential to a healthy planet. They turn flowers into fruits, helping to feed the world. Today important bee habitats are threatened. The gardens of Alcatraz are an unlikely haven for bees in the San Francisco Bay.

How can you help? Plant pollinator-friendly gardens, create bee houses, reduce the use of harmful chemicals. To learn more, check out https://www.fao.org/world-bee-day/en/

📹: Large black and white bumble bee bops around from one orange California poppy to the next among the vibrant flowers of the Alcatraz gardens.

Join us Saturday May 23 for the next installment of the Formerly Incarcerated Speaker Series on Alcatraz Island. Willard...
05/17/2026

Join us Saturday May 23 for the next installment of the Formerly Incarcerated Speaker Series on Alcatraz Island. Willard DeRouen Jr. will explore the deeply personal and often overlooked impact of incarceration on families. Drawing from lived experience as an incarcerated father, he’ll talk about the pain of family separation, rebuilding trust with children, navigating stigma after release, and the journey toward healing and accountability. He’ll also discuss barriers in the system that make reunifying families challenging.

This event is free, but you must purchase a ferry ticket to get to the island. We recommend the 12 PM boat or earlier.

🎟️ http://www.alcatrazcitycruises.com/

The Formerly Incarcerated Speaker Series lifts up and highlights the voices of people who have spent time inside of jails and prisons. Alcatraz Island, being one of the only National Park Service sites that interprets mass incarceration, works directly with people who have experience to share their stories. Speaker events are offered on various Saturdays from May-September 2026, from 1 - 2 PM. To learn more, head to https://go.nps.gov/FormerlyIncarceratedSpeakers

Join us on May 30 for a day celebrating everything pop culture on Alcatraz! Alcatraz is more than a historic landmark, i...
05/16/2026

Join us on May 30 for a day celebrating everything pop culture on Alcatraz! Alcatraz is more than a historic landmark, it’s a cultural icon. From movies, to video games, to comics, Alcatraz continues to shape and reflect how we wrestle with ideas of justice, incarceration, and our common humanity.

On both sides of the bars, fandom can be an escape and a source of community. Whatever fandom you’re part of, you’re welcome on Alcatraz. 🤓 For more information, check out https://go.nps.gov/AlcatrazComicBookDay

🎟️To purchase a ticket to the island, head to https://www.cityexperiences.com/san-francisco/city-cruises/alcatraz/
🛥️This event spans both day and evening. For day events, we recommend the 10:35 AM boat. For evening events, get the 5:55 PM boat.

If you're coming out to Alcatraz on Friday afternoon, join us for a special walking tour about the conscientious objecto...
05/14/2026

If you're coming out to Alcatraz on Friday afternoon, join us for a special walking tour about the conscientious objectors incarcerated on the island during WWI.

What would you be willing to suffer for your religious, moral, or political beliefs? Learn the inspiring stories of men who chose to suffer imprisonment and torture on Alcatraz rather than engage in war.

The tour is free and does not require a reservation. However, you must purchase a ferry ticket to the island. For this program, we recommend taking the 3:20 PM ferry.

🎟️Purchase tickets at https://www.alcatrazcitycruises.com/
For event information: https://go.nps.gov/ConscientiousObjectorsTour

“We educated an entire country about Indian life, and the experience of the occupation educated many Indians who went on...
05/14/2026

“We educated an entire country about Indian life, and the experience of the occupation educated many Indians who went on to become leaders and spokespeople in the Indian movement. The spirit and the lessons of Alcatraz became a part of history and can never be lost.” – Adam Fortunate Eagle Nordwall, Alcatraz! Alcatraz! The Indian Occupation of 1969-1971

We were saddened to hear that Adam Fortunate Eagle Nordwall passed away recently. A member of the Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians, Adam was instrumental in the 19-month Occupation of Alcatraz by the Indians of All Tribes. Adam returned to Alcatraz Island many times over the years to commemorate the occupation. He collaborated with the National Park Service, is featured in the documentary We Hold the Rock, and most recently joined us for a virtual webinar during the 50th anniversary of the occupation. He will be remembered fondly by the island staff.

To view We Hold the Rock, head to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEmae2PsWJI

📷: Ilka Hartmann

Happy Mother’s Day! Our mama birds on Alcatraz island are top contenders for mother-of-the-year award. Alcatraz has a va...
05/10/2026

Happy Mother’s Day! Our mama birds on Alcatraz island are top contenders for mother-of-the-year award.

Alcatraz has a variety of waterbird species that arrive every year to nest and raise their young. Many have already taken the steps all incoming parents take: finding property, building a child-safe home, and screaming and pooping on anything that signals danger to their family.

Alcatraz's avian couples return to the island every year and build their nests in the same spot, scoring coveted oceanfront property. With the tenacity and strength only found in mothers, birds all over the island are dutifully incubating eggs, tending to the upkeep of their nests, all while defending their homes.

In late spring and early summer, chicks are ready to leave the nest and their moms spend several months teaching them crucial skills of how to find food, what danger looks like, and eventually how to fly. All this preparation leads to the moment when these mama birds will have to let their chicks spread their wings and find their own way.

But don’t worry, they’ve prepared their kids well. And who knows, maybe they’ll be back next spring, since gulls don’t fully mature for 4 years.

📷: Cormorant, Snowy egret, Great Blue Heron mamas feed their young in nests on Alcatraz Island.

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B201 Fort Mason
San Francisco, CA
94123

Opening Hours

Monday 8:30am - 6:30pm
Tuesday 8:30am - 9:30pm
Wednesday 8:30am - 9:30pm
Thursday 8:30am - 9:30pm
Friday 8:30am - 9:30pm
Saturday 8:30am - 9:30pm
Sunday 8:30am - 6:30pm

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