What is the History of Alcatraz Prison?
Alcatraz was the name given to the island occupied by one of the world’s most famous prisons. Situated in the San Francisco Bay, Alcatraz is one of the three islands discovered by Spanish explorer Juan Manuel de Ayala, in 1775. It is unclear if Ayala named the current Yerba Buena Island La Isla de los Alcatraces, the name later being transferred to what is now known as Alcatraz, or if the name was indeed given to the current Alcatraz Island. The word Alcatraces means “pelicans” in Spanish. In 1851, the name was officially shortened to Alcatraz, which means “pelican” in Spanish.
