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108-514: On September 28, 1850, just 19 days after admitting California to the Union, Congress appropriated $ 90,000 to construct lighthouses along the California coast. A second appropriation of $ 59,434 was made in 1854 to complete the job. Lighthouses were designated for Alcatraz Island , Point Conception , Battery Point , Farallon Island , Point Pinos and Point Loma. A site was chosen in 1851 near

216-575: A Rodrigues family living in São Lourenço de Cabril around 1520. Alvar Nunes, a Portuguese pilot, was the co-owner of the ship Santa María de Buena Esperança, which was very likely rebaptized as Santa María de La Victoria, Cabrilho's fleet's second largest ship. As a result, it is likely that the two largest ships in the fleet that discovered California were property of Portuguese seamen. António Fernandes, another Portuguese also living in Nicaragua,

324-404: A century of salt water saturation had severely eroded the buildings and three people had purportedly escaped in 1962. After its closure, George Moscone received public proposals to repurpose Alcatraz Island. Alcatraz Island was occupied by Native American activists for the first time on March 8, 1964. The protest, proposed by Lakota Sioux activist Belva Cottier and joined by about 35 others,

432-425: A full-sized, fully functional, and historically accurate replica of Juan Rodriquez Cabrillo's flagship, San Salvador . The construction of the replica was based on historical and archeological research into early Spanish and Portuguese shipbuilding techniques. The construction was carried out in full public view on the shores of San Diego Bay by professional boat builders, assisted by scores of volunteers. Her keel

540-613: A lapse that mariners would repeat for the next two centuries and more, most likely because its entrance is frequently shrouded by fog. The expedition may have reached as far north as the Russian River or even the Columbia before autumn storms forced them to turn back. Because of the vagueness of his description, it is uncertain which northern river the expedition sighted. Coming back down the coast, Cabrillo entered Monterey Bay , naming it "Bahia de Los Pinos". On November 23, 1542,

648-665: A larger-than-life statue of Cabrillo, donated by the government of Portugal, as well as a plaque honoring him donated in 1935 by the Portuguese ambassador to the United States. A museum in the park focuses on Cabrillo and his voyages of discovery. Every September Cabrillo Festival Inc. hosts the Cabrillo Festival, an annual three-day celebration of his discovery of San Diego Bay , including a re-enactment of his landing at Ballast Point. Another Cabrillo Monument

756-407: A lower elevation. After its abandonment the lighthouse deteriorated. In 1913 President Woodrow Wilson dedicated the lighthouse and a half-acre of land as Cabrillo National Monument, for the purpose of erecting a large statue of Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo . However, no such statue was actually built for several decades. In 1935 the lighthouse underwent a major renovation and a new road to the monument

864-609: A member of the Puerto Rican Nationalist Party who attacked the United States Capitol building in 1954. Others included Mickey Cohen , Arthur R. "Doc" Barker , and Alvin "Creepy" Karpis , who served more time at Alcatraz than any other inmate. It also provided housing for the Bureau of Prisons staff and their families. Contrary to popular belief, it was possible to escape and swim all of

972-402: A memorial. Not used for lighthouse purposes since 1891, the old tower, was set aside by President Wilson in 1913 as a national monument and is now cared for by the U.S. Park Service. The old tower was abandoned because it was situated 462 feet above the sea. At this unusual height, the light was often obscured by high fogs. A romantic error attributes Old Point Loma Light to Spanish origin. When it

1080-629: A new policy of self-determination , in part as a result of the publicity and awareness created by the occupation. The occupation ended on June 11, 1971. In 1972, the National Park Service purchased Alcatraz along with Fort Mason from the U.S. Army to establish the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. Under "An Act to Establish the Golden Gate National Recreation Area" President Richard Nixon allocated $ 120 million for land acquisition and development of

1188-528: A number of other buildings (mostly apartments) after the occupation had ended. Graffiti from the period of Native American occupation is still visible at many locations on the island. During the occupation, President Richard Nixon rescinded the Indian termination policy, designed by earlier administrations to end federal recognition of many tribes and their special relationship with the US government. He established

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1296-573: A paid staff member and many volunteers, thanks to funding by the Garden Conservancy and the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy. The untended gardens had become severely overgrown and had developed into a nesting habitat and sanctuary for numerous birds. Now, areas of bird habitat are being preserved and protected, while many of the gardens are being restored to their original state. In clearing out

1404-533: A pamphlet entitled Uncle Sam's Devil's Island about his experiences. The United States Disciplinary Barracks on Alcatraz were acquired by the United States Department of Justice on October 12, 1933, and the island was designated as a federal prison in August 1934. Alcatraz was designed to hold prisoners who continuously caused trouble at other federal prisons. At 9:40 am on August 11, 1934,

1512-510: A personal friend of Pio Pico. Later in 1846, acting in his capacity as Military Governor of California, John C. Frémont bought the island for $ 5,000 in the name of the United States government from Francis Temple. In 1850, President Millard Fillmore ordered that Alcatraz Island be set aside specifically as a United States military reservation, for military purposes based upon the U.S. acquisition of California from Mexico following

1620-632: A staff of 155, including the first warden James A. Johnston and associate warden J. E. Shuttleworth , both considered to be "iron men". The staff were highly trained in security, but not rehabilitation. During the 29 years it was in use, the prison held some of the most notorious criminals in American history, including gangsters such as Al Capone , Robert Franklin Stroud (the "Birdman of Alcatraz"), George "Machine Gun" Kelly and Bumpy Johnson , and political terrorists such as Rafael Cancel Miranda ,

1728-408: A task for which it was well suited because of its isolation. In 1867, a brick jailhouse was built (previously inmates had been kept in the basement of the guardhouse), and in 1868, Alcatraz was officially designated as a long-term detention facility for military prisoners. The facility was later discontinued for Prisoners of War in 1846 . Among those incarcerated at Alcatraz were Confederates caught on

1836-571: Is an ancient house where local tradition claims he was born. Local people, and alleged local descendants of branches of his ancient family with the same surname ("Rodrigues Cabrilho"), call the house Casa do Galego ( House of the Galician ) and Casa do Americano ( House of the American ). In January 2023, a new preprint (now peer reviewed and published in the Bulletin for Spanish and Portuguese Historical Studies) announced new documents about

1944-521: Is based on the true story of a few inmates trying to flee the island. The Rock , on the other hand, just depicts life in Alcatraz. Juan Rodr%C3%ADguez Cabrillo Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo ( Portuguese : João Rodrigues Cabrilho ; c. 1497 – January 3, 1543) was a Portuguese maritime explorer best known for investigations of the West Coast of North America , undertaken on behalf of

2052-507: Is buried at the Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery. His grave 74 in section 75 is marked by a stone with a Christian cross. Some of his descendants now serve as volunteer re-enactors at the lighthouse. The Old Point Loma Lighthouse was not just the housing for a light; it was also the home of the people who took care of the light. The keepers and their families lived in the lighthouse. Visitors can now view some of

2160-536: Is called the Cabrillo Highway. The Cabrillo Bridge and Cabrillo Freeway ( California State Route 163 ) running through San Diego's Balboa Park are also named for him. There are streets named for him in many cities in California. The SS Cabrillo was a wooden steamer launched in 1914 to serve as a ferry across the San Pedro Channel to Santa Catalina Island. It was later requisitioned by

2268-1061: Is located on San Miguel Island . In the state of California, September 28th is officially "Cabrillo Day". A civic organization of Portuguese-Americans primarily in California is called the Cabrillo Club. In northern California, the Point Cabrillo Light is named after him. San Pedro , part of the city of Los Angeles , has Cabrillo Beach and the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium . Schools named for him include Cabrillo College in Aptos, California , high schools in Lompoc and Long Beach , and several middle and elementary schools. The portion of California State Route 1 that runs from Las Cruces in Santa Barbara County north to San Francisco

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2376-491: Is not known to nest on the island today. The Spanish built several small buildings on the island and other minor structures. The earliest recorded private owner of the island of Alcatraz is Julian Workman, to whom it was given by Mexican governor Pio Pico in June 1846, with the understanding that Workman would build a lighthouse on it. Julian Workman is the baptismal name of William Workman , co-owner of Rancho La Puente and

2484-455: Is now San Diego Bay and named it "San Miguel". A little over a week later he reached Santa Catalina Island (October 7), which he named "San Salvador", after his flagship. On sending a boat to the island "a great crowd of armed Indians appeared" – whom, however, they later "befriended". Nearby San Clemente Island was named "Victoria", in honor of the third ship of the fleet. The next morning, October 8, Cabrillo came to San Pedro Bay , which

2592-608: Is now remembered as the first European to travel the California coast, and many parks, schools, buildings and streets in California bear his name. Most notably, the National Park Service operates Cabrillo National Monument , overlooking the bay and ocean from Point Loma in San Diego , commemorating his first landing in California and offering views of San Diego and the Pacific Ocean. The monument features

2700-668: Is the region where allegedly the nickname "Cabrilha" originated. It became the surname Cabrilho and was pronounced at the time Cabrilhe in Galician and Cabrillo in Spanish, according to the historian João Soares Tavares, biographer of João Rodrigues Cabrilho. The name still exists in Portugal as a surname, and several localities named Cabril in Beira Alta and neighboring regions such as Castro Daire, Viseu or Pampilhosa da Serra have been claimed as Cabrillo's birthplace. In Lapela there

2808-470: The Battle of Alcatraz . Perhaps the most famous is the intricate escape , carried out on June 11, 1962, by Frank Morris , John Anglin , and Clarence Anglin . The three men are believed to have drowned in their attempt. However, no bodies were ever found, sparking speculation that they made it to shore and escaped. Although most escapees were caught or drowned, in 1962, prisoner John Paul Scott made it to

2916-627: The Bureau of Indian Affairs ' (BIA) Indian termination policy , which was a series of laws and policies aimed at the assimilation of Native Americans into mainstream US society. It encouraged Native Americans to move away from the Indian reservations and into cities to take advantage of health, educational and employment opportunities. A number of employees of the Bureau of Indian Affairs also occupied Alcatraz at that time, including Doris Purdy, an amateur photographer, who later produced footage of her stay on

3024-696: The International Indian Treaty Council , occasionally hold ceremonies on the island, most notably, their "Sunrise Gatherings" every Columbus Day and Thanksgiving Day . Around 2007, the Global Peace Foundation proposed to raze the prison and build a peace center in its place. Supporters collected 10,350 signatures – sufficient to have it placed as a proposition on the presidential primary ballots in San Francisco for February 5, 2008. The proposed plan

3132-466: The Mexican–American War . Frémont had expected a large compensation for his initiative in purchasing and securing Alcatraz Island for the U.S. government, but the U.S. government later invalidated the sale and paid Frémont nothing. Frémont and his heirs sued for compensation during protracted but unsuccessful legal battles that extended into the 1890s. Following the acquisition of California by

3240-650: The National Park Service began major renovations on the island, including the installation of solar panels on the cell house roof, slope stabilization near the Warden's House, and the stabilization and rehabilitation of the outer cell house walls. Now one of San Francisco's major tourist attractions, Alcatraz drew some 1.7 million visitors annually according to a 2018 report. Visitors arrive by ferry, operated under contract by Alcatraz Cruises LLC at Pier 33. The 2018 report indicated that "former prison buildings are being conserved and seismically upgraded and additional areas of

3348-633: The Pacific coast in search of trade opportunities, perhaps to find a way to China (for the full extent of the northern Pacific was unknown) or to find the mythical Strait of Anián (or Northwest Passage ) connecting the Pacific Ocean with Hudson Bay . Cabrillo built and owned the flagship of his venture (three ships), and stood to profit from any trade or treasure. In 1540, the fleet sailed from Acajutla , El Salvador , and reached Navidad, Mexico on Christmas Day. While in Mexico, Pedro de Alvarado went to

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3456-646: The Pelicans " (the modern Spanish word for 'pelican' is pelícano ), from the archaic Spanish alcatraz ("pelican"). There are no gannets native to the Pacific coast, making the older Spanish usage more likely. Yerba Buena Island was labeled on Ayala 's 1775 chart of San Francisco Bay as "Isla de Alcatraces". The name was later applied to the rock now known as Alcatraz Island by Captain Frederick W. Beechey , an English naval officer and explorer. Over

3564-523: The Recreation Yard . The first European to document the islands of San Francisco Bay was Spanish naval officer and explorer Juan Manuel de Ayala during Spanish rule of California ; he charted San Francisco Bay in 1775. He named today's Yerba Buena Island as "La Isla de los Alcatraces" , which translates as "The Island of the Gannets " but is commonly believed to translate as "The Island of

3672-663: The Spanish Empire . He was the first European to explore present-day California, navigating along the coast of California in 1542–1543 on his voyage from New Spain (modern Mexico). Cabrillo's nationality – Portuguese or Spanish – has been debated more recently. He was described as Portuguese by Spanish chronicler Antonio de Herrera y Tordesillas ; in his Historia General de los hechos de los Castellanos en las Islas y tierra firme del Mar Oceano , written 60 years after Cabrillo's death, Herrera referred to Cabrillo as Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo . Of

3780-538: The West Coast and some Hopi Native American men in the 1870s, who refused orders to send their children away from their families to Indian boarding schools . In 1898, due to the Spanish–American War , the prison population rose from 26 to over 450. From 1905 to 1907 it was commanded by U.S. Army Major George W. McIver . After the 1906 San Francisco earthquake , civilian prisoners were transferred to Alcatraz for safe confinement. On March 21, 1907, Alcatraz

3888-453: The West Coast of the United States was also built on Alcatraz. During the war, Fort Alcatraz was used to imprison Confederate sympathizers and privateers on the west coast, but its guns were never fired at an enemy. Studies of the island and its fortifications have included archeological surveys relying on contemporary technology. In 2019 "Binghamton University archaeologist Timothy de Smet and colleagues located historical remains beneath

3996-653: The 17th century. According to his biographer Harry Kelsey, he took an indigenous woman as his common-law wife and sired several children, including at least three daughters. Later he married Beatriz Sanchez de Ortega in Seville during a hiatus in Spain. She returned to Guatemala with him and bore him two sons. Those two sons were named Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo de Medrano, his heir, and the younger Diego Sanchez de Ortega (the latter, named after his maternal uncle). His namesake son and heir, Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo de Medrano ,

4104-648: The 1970s. In 1972, Alcatraz was transferred to the Department of Interior to become part of Golden Gate National Recreation Area . It was designated as a National Historic Landmark in 1986. Today, the island's facilities are managed by the National Park Service as part of Golden Gate National Recreation Area. Visitors can reach the island by ferry ride from Pier 33, located between the San Francisco Ferry Building and Fisherman's Wharf, San Francisco . Hornblower Cruises , operating under

4212-590: The 1997 arcade racing video game San Francisco Rush the Rock: Alcatraz Edition . Alcatraz has also been portrayed often as a safe haven or base of operations in many post-apocalyptic movies , such as The Book of Eli . Alcatraz was featured in the video game Call of Duty: Black Ops II ; in the downloadable zombie survival map "Mob of the Dead", players could explore the Main Cellhouse,

4320-448: The 200-ton galleon and flagship San Salvador , the smaller La Victoria (c. 100 tons), and the lateen -rigged, twenty-six oared "fragata" or "bergantin" San Miguel . On August 1, Cabrillo anchored within sight of Cedros Island . Before the end of the month they had passed Baja Point (named "Cabo del Engaño" by de Ulloa in 1539) and entered "uncharted waters, where no Spanish ships had been before". On September 28, he landed in what

4428-687: The Boat Dock and a fictional area called the Catacombs which runs through the island. A segment of Alcatraz' Cellhouse makes a cameo appearance in Call of Duty: Black Ops III in the downloadable zombie survival map "Revelations". The map was then remastered in Call of Duty: Black Ops 4's zombie mode as "Blood of the Dead"; the playable area of the map was expanded to include the Model Industries Building, New Industries Building and

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4536-462: The First (1995), Escape from Alcatraz (1979), The Enforcer (1976), Point Blank (1967) , Birdman of Alcatraz (1962) and J. J. Abrams ' 2012 television series Alcatraz . It also was featured in the anime Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters , the book Al Capone Does My Shirts and the video game Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4 as a playable level. It is also showcased as a playable racetrack in

4644-702: The Island are opened to the public as safety hazards are removed". During the COVID-19 pandemic , the buildings and the island remained closed to the public for more than a year (and ferry services were suspended), reopening in March 2021. Alcatraz has been home to several art installations. In 2014, Chinese artist/dissident Ai Weiwei staged an exhibition which explored "questions about human rights and freedom of expression" called @Large. This exhibition included Lego portraits of famous political prisoners. The creation of

4752-540: The Mile Rocks Lighthouse. Today the lighthouse is no longer in service but stands as a landmark and museum. Visitors may enter the lighthouse and view parts of the living quarters there. Visitors are sometimes greeted by volunteer historical re-enactors including "Captain Israel", a real historical figure who was lighthouse keeper from 1871 to 1892, or "members of the crew" of Cabrillo's ship. Although

4860-618: The United States Army and served as a troop transport in northern California during World War II. In 1992, the United States Postal Service issued a 29¢ stamp in honor of Cabrillo. The Flag of San Diego features the number 1542 to represent Cabrillo's "discovery" of San Diego Bay in that year. Rodriguez Seamount in the Pacific Ocean is named for him. The Maritime Museum of San Diego , in partnership with Cabrillo National Monument , has built

4968-645: The United States as a result of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (1848), which ended the Mexican–American War , and the onset of the California Gold Rush the following year, the U.S. Army began studying the suitability of Alcatraz Island for the positioning of coastal batteries to protect the approaches to San Francisco Bay. In 1853, under the direction of Zealous B. Tower , the United States Army Corps of Engineers began fortifying

5076-544: The Warden's House. Call of Duty: Mobile has a seasonal game mode in Alcatraz Island and Rebirth Island in Call of Duty: Warzone is also based on the island. Alcatraz even appears in the novels The Alchemyst and The Sorceress by Michael Scott where it is depicted as a prison for the immortal Perenelle Flamel . Alcatraz is featured in the Mummies Alive! episode "Bird Mummy of Alcatraz" and

5184-582: The area. It has since been under the direction of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area and now operates as a tourist site and museum dedicated to its time as a federal penitentiary. Operating costs still remain one of its biggest challenges today. Part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area since 1972, the entire Alcatraz Island was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. In 1986 it

5292-525: The assistance of the town of Nochistlán , which was under siege by hostile natives, and was killed when his horse fell on him, crushing his chest. Following Alvarado's death, the viceroy took possession of Alvarado's fleet. Part of the fleet was sent off to the Spanish East Indies under Ruy López de Villalobos and three of the ships were sent north under the command of Cabrillo. On June 27, 1542, Cabrillo set out from Navidad with three ships:

5400-618: The country, including American Indian Movement (AIM) urban activists from Minneapolis . During the nineteen months and nine days of occupation by the American Indians, several buildings at Alcatraz were damaged or destroyed by fire, including the lighthouse keeper's home, the warden's home, the Officers' Club, the recreation hall, and the Coast Guard quarters. The origin of the fires is disputed. The US government demolished

5508-450: The exhibition was featured in a 2019 documentary film, Ai Weiwei: Yours Truly . In 2016, Nelson Saiers used math and prison slang as central elements in a six-month installation that called attention to the imposition of long prison sentences. Gardens planted by families of the original Army post, and later by families of the prison guards, fell into neglect after the prison closure in 1963. After 40 years, they are being restored by

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5616-550: The famous Battle of Chapultepec . He moved to San Diego in 1848 and worked as a blacksmith and saloon-keeper. He and Maria Arcadia Alipas Machado, the daughter of a long-established San Diego family, were married by a priest in 1852 at the Casa de Estudillo in Old Town . They had four children: Henry Clay Israel, Joseph Perry Israel; Robert Lincoln Israel, and a second Joseph Perry Israel, born after his older brother had died. Israel

5724-509: The few locations in Portugal who used to claim to be his birthplace, only Lapela de Cabril keeps having some legitimacy to do so. However, the source for Herrera's description is unknown. Certain historians, such as Edward Kritzler , claim that Cabrillo was possibly descended from Jewish conversos . Others point to the many flaws in Kritzler's work, including lack of evidence for such claims. Some historians have long believed that Cabrillo

5832-564: The first batch of 137 prisoners arrived at Alcatraz, arriving by railroad from the United States Penitentiary in Leavenworth, Kansas , to Santa Venetia, California . They were escorted to Alcatraz, while handcuffed in high security coaches and guarded by 60 special FBI agents , U.S. Marshals and railway security officials. Most of the prisoners were notorious bank robbers and murderers. The prison initially had

5940-496: The former recreation yard of the Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary." Using ground-penetrating radar (GPR) data and georectifications, Smet and colleagues discovered structures, including "a 'bombproof' earthwork traverse along with its underlying vaulted brick masonry tunnel and ventilation ducts," in surprisingly good condition. Archaeologists also found the remains of ammunition magazines, and tunnels below

6048-556: The guns could be used at one time. At this time it also served as the San Francisco Arsenal for storage of firearms to prevent them falling into the hands of Confederate sympathizers . Alcatraz, built as a "heavily fortified military site on the West Coast", was to form a "triangle of defense" with Fort Point and Lime Point, but the contemplated work on Lime Point was never built. The first operational lighthouse on

6156-586: The history of Alcatraz, the island measures 1,675 feet (511 m) by 590 feet (180 m) and is 135 feet (41 m) at highest point during mean tide. The total area of the island is reported to be 22 acres (8.9 ha). Landmarks on the island include the Main Cellhouse , Dining Hall , Lighthouse , the ruins of the Warden's House and Social Hall, Parade Grounds, Building 64 , Water Tower , New Industries Building , Model Industries Building , and

6264-438: The indigenous Mixtec people at what would eventually become the city of Oaxaca , in Mexico. Little is known of what Cabrillo did there. In 1539, Francisco de Ulloa , who had been commissioned by Cortés, explored and named the Sea of Cortés ( Gulf of California ) and reached nearly as far north as the 30th parallel. Cabrillo was then commissioned by the new Viceroy of New Spain , Antonio de Mendoza , to lead an expedition up

6372-400: The island is now a major tourist attraction. Beginning in November 1969, the island was occupied for more than 19 months by a group of Native Americans, initially primarily from San Francisco , who were later joined by AIM and other urban Native Americans from other parts of the country, who were part of a wave of Native American activists organizing public protests across the US through

6480-409: The island, work which continued until 1858, when the initial version of Fort Alcatraz was complete. The island's first garrison, numbering about 200 soldiers, arrived at the end of that year. When the American Civil War broke out in 1861, the island mounted 85 cannons (increased to 105 cannons by 1866) in casemates around its perimeter, though the small size of the garrison meant only a fraction of

6588-437: The island. The occupiers, who stayed on the island for nearly two years, demanded that the island's facilities be adapted and new structures built for an Indian education center, ecology center, and cultural center. The American Indians claimed the island by provisions of the Treaty of Fort Laramie (1868) between the US and the Sioux; they said the treaty promised to return all retired, abandoned, or out-of-use federal lands to

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6696-420: The legitimate son of Geronimo Cabrillo de Aldana; the grandson of Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo de Medrano; and great-grandson of Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo. On 24 May 1670, Esteban de Medrano y Solórzano was recorded as the chancellor and regidor of the Audiencia of Santiago de Guatemala . His discoveries went largely unnoticed at the time, so none of his place names were permanently adopted. Despite this, Cabrillo

6804-402: The lighthouse and its keepers. After the lighthouse was deactivated it fell into disrepair. In 1913, it was proposed to tear down the dilapidated lighthouse and replace it with a monumental statue of Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo . The statue was never made, but to accommodate it, one-half acre around the lighthouse was set aside as Cabrillo National Monument by Presidential Proclamation. The monument

6912-425: The lighthouse had the highest elevation of any lighthouse in the United States. However, the location on top of a 400-foot cliff meant that fog and low clouds often obscured the light from the view of ships. On foggy nights the lighthouse keeper would sometimes discharge a shotgun to warn ships away. On March 23, 1891, the flame was permanently extinguished and the light was replaced by the New Point Loma lighthouse at

7020-419: The lighthouse keepers were: San Diego pioneer Robert Decatur Israel was lighthouse keeper for the longest period of time, 18 years. He was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on March 23, 1826. His father was described as Pennsylvania Dutch and mother as Scotch-Irish. He wasn't Jewish, but because of his surname many people today mistakenly assume that he was. He had fought in the Mexican–American War , including

7128-420: The little fleet arrived back in "San Salvador" (Santa Catalina Island) to overwinter and make repairs. There, around Christmas Eve, Cabrillo stepped out of his boat and splintered his shin when he stumbled onto a jagged rock while trying to rescue some of his men from attacking Tongva warriors. The injury became infected and developed gangrene , and he died on January 3, 1543, and was buried. A possible headstone

7236-407: The name Alcatraz Cruises, is the official ferry provider to and from the island. Alcatraz Island is the site of the abandoned federal prison, 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 ). According to a 1971 documentary on

7344-423: The names of numerous Chumash villages on the California coast and adjacent islands in October 1542 – then located in the two warring provinces of Xexo (ruled by an "old woman", now Santa Barbara County, California ) and Xucu (now Ventura County, California ). On November 13 they sighted and named "Cabo de Pinos" (possibly either Point Pinos or Point Reyes ), but missed the entrance to San Francisco Bay ,

7452-438: The native peoples from whom they were acquired. Indians of All Tribes claimed Alcatraz Island by the " Right of Discovery "; as historian Troy R. Johnson states in The Occupation of Alcatraz Island , generations of indigenous peoples knew about Alcatraz at least 10,000 years before any European knew about any part of North America. Begun by urban Indians of San Francisco, the occupation attracted other Native Americans from across

7560-432: The older son and heir named Alonso Rodríguez Cabrillo de Medrano, who inherited his father's encomiendas, and the younger Geronimo Cabrillo de Aldana, father of Esteban de Medrano y Solórzano. The younger Geronimo Cabrillo de Aldana inherited the family encomiendas after the death of his older brother Alonso Rodríguez Cabrillo de Medrano. Geronimo's son and heir Esteban de Medrano y Solórzano wrote his will in 1688 as

7668-773: The overgrowth, workers found that many of the original plants were growing where they had been planted – some more than 100 years ago. Numerous heirloom rose hybrids, including a Welsh rose (Bardou Job) that had been believed to be extinct, have been discovered and propagated. Many species of roses, succulents , and geraniums are growing among apple and fig trees, banks of sweet peas, manicured gardens of cutting flowers, and wildly overgrown sections of native grasses with blackberry and honeysuckle. Alcatraz Island appears often in media and popular culture, including films dating from 1962: Resident Evil: Death Island (2023), The Book of Eli (2010), X-Men: The Last Stand (2006), Catch Me If You Can (2002), The Rock (1996), Murder in

7776-508: The penitentiary that was built later. Because of the isolation created by the cold, strong currents of the waters of San Francisco Bay, as early as 1859, Alcatraz was used to house soldiers convicted of crimes. By 1861, the fort was the military prison for the Department of the Pacific . It housed Civil War prisoners of war (POWs) as early as that year. Starting in 1863, the military also held private citizens accused of treason, after

7884-428: The postwar years. Modernization efforts, including an ambitious plan to level the entire island and construct shell-proof underground magazines and tunnels, were undertaken between 1870 and 1876 but never completed (the so-called "parade ground" on the southern tip of the island represents the extent of the flattening effort). Instead, the army switched the focus of its plans for Alcatraz from coastal defense to detention,

7992-566: The preprint also presents a 1758 document showing that Mount Cabrilho was located nearby Lapela de Cabril, thus proving that Cabrilho indeed existed as a name in Portugal. Cabrillo shipped for Havana as a young man and joined forces with Hernán Cortés in Mexico (then called New Spain ). Later, his success in mining gold in Guatemala made him one of the richest of the conquistadores in Mexico. He accompanied Francisco de Orozco to subdue

8100-425: The rooms to see what their life was like. The lighthouse was a bustling family home. The Israel family, including their three surviving boys and a niece, all grew up there. They gardened, kept horses, and raised chickens, pigs and goats. The children rowed across the bay to Old Town each day for school. People from town would sometimes drive by horse and buggy over a dirt road (now Catalina Boulevard) to picnic and visit

8208-453: The shore. However, he was so weary that police found him unconscious and in hypothermic shock. The annual Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon includes a required 1.5-mile (2.4 km) swim from the island to the bay shore. There are several reasons that Alcatraz closed as a penitentiary in 1963. The penitentiary cost much more to operate than other prisons (nearly $ 10 per prisoner per day, as opposed to $ 3 per prisoner per day at Atlanta). Half

8316-432: The sole survivor of a shipwreck, who was found wandering on shore. The local residents took her in and named her Loma and she grew up to become the cynosure of many ardent male eyes. A rejected suitor slew the girl and fled to the point where he met his rival on a narrow trail above the sea. A knife fight ensued and the men fell to their death on the rocks below. Legend has it that Point Loma was named after this girl. Actually

8424-546: The summit of Point Loma. The contract was given to the Washington, D.C. company Gibbon and Kelley . The local supervisor was William J. Timanus . Construction was begun in April 1854, when a shipment of materials arrived from San Francisco. The lantern and lens had to be ordered from Paris and arrived in August 1855. The lighthouse was completed by October 1855 and was lighted for the first time at sunset November 15, 1855. It

8532-463: The toponym Cabrilho's Bay (B. de Cabrilho) shows at nearly 40 degrees north. The navigator's name is written in the Portuguese form (with lh) for the first time in any known map of that period. Since the 1604 map dates from around the same time as Herrera's statement (around 1615) about Cabrilho being Portuguese, the appearance of Cabrilho's name in this old map provides support to Cabrilho's Portuguese nationality. Other than Cabrilho's Bay in California,

8640-526: The tower of the lighthouse is normally closed off to the public, there are two days a year when it is open. These dates are August 25, which is the National Park Service's Birthday, and November 15, which is the Lighthouse's Anniversary. The long neck of land enclosing North San Diego Bay on the West side is known as Point Loma. The origin of the name comes from a legend of a flaxen haired little Russian girl,

8748-409: The war the lighthouse was returned to the National Park Service. During the 1980s it was restored and filled with period furnishings to resemble its appearance when the Israel family lived there. In 2003–2004 the surrounding area was also restored to a more authentic look, including native plants, a vegetable garden, and a water catchment system. The lantern room currently houses the third-order lens from

8856-439: The way to shore. However, during its 29 years of operation, the penitentiary claimed that no prisoner successfully escaped. A total of 36 prisoners made 14 escape attempts , two men trying twice. 23 were caught alive, six were shot and killed during their escape, two drowned, and five are listed as "missing and presumed drowned". The most violent incident occurred on May 2, 1946, when a failed escape attempt by six prisoners led to

8964-536: The word 'Loma' in Portuguese means light.(NOTE: Mr. Lougher was mistaken about this. "Loma" is a Spanish word meaning "hill". The original name of the peninsula was "La Punta de la Loma de San Diego", meaning Hill Point of San Diego. This was later anglicized to Point Loma.) Old Point Loma Light—the first lighthouse to be erected in Southern California as distinguished from the present Point Loma Light—was constructed in 1851 and presently being preserved as

9072-507: The writ of habeas corpus in the United States was suspended. Hundreds of troops were trained on the island, with more than 350 military personnel in place by April 1861. As enlistees were assigned to units, new green troops reported for training. In early 1865, the number of men reached 433, the peak of the war. During the Civil War-era, rapid changes in artillery and fortification were generated. Alcatraz's defenses were obsolete by

9180-529: The years, the Spanish version "Alcatraz" became popular and is now widely used. In August 1827, for instance, French Captain Auguste Bernard Duhaut-Cilly wrote "... running past Alcatraze's (Pelicans) Island ... covered with a countless number of these birds. A gun fired over the feathered legions caused them to fly up in a great cloud and with a noise like a hurricane." The California brown pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis californicus )

9288-483: Was "natural y nacido" (natural and born) in Trujillo, Spain. Other details of the witness's biography match known facts about the explorer. A leader of San Diego's Portuguese community cautioned that the new evidence must be carefully evaluated, and requested that copies of the documents be turned over to the Portuguese government for study. Lapela, in the parish of Cabril and a municipality of Montalegre (Portugal),

9396-566: Was Portuguese. Bartolome Ferrer, Cabrilho's pilot major, was not Spanish-born but from Albissola, Savona, near Genoa. Carbon-14 data validates the early 1530s as the time when Cabrilho offered a crucifix to his Rodrigues family in Lapela de Cabril, in agreement with their ancestral family tradition. The 2023 preprint also presents a 1604 California Spanish-based map, made by the Florentine cartographer Matteo di Jacopo Neroni da Peccioli, where

9504-428: Was also featured in a mission in the video game Watch Dogs 2 where you can walk around and visit the island. Alcatraz is also featured as a downloadable map in the video game The Escapists . The German rock band Scorpions filmed the music video for " No One Like You " at the Alcatraz prison. Escape from Alcatraz and The Rock are two films that show how inescapable the island is. Escape from Alcatraz

9612-464: Was appointed assistant lighthouse keeper in 1871 and promoted to lighthouse keeper in 1874. His wife Maria was the assistant keeper, like most wives of lighthouse keepers. Their family lived alone on the Point, making sure that the lighthouse was illuminated each night. The Israels lived and worked on Point Loma for 18 years, where they watched their children and grandchildren grow up. One of their grandsons

9720-534: Was below ground level. The building had been constructed in an excavated pit, creating a defensive dry moat . The first floor was incorporated as a basement to the new cell block, giving rise to the popular legend of "dungeons" below the main cell block. The US Disciplinary Barracks was deactivated in October 1933 and transferred to the Bureau of Prisons . During World War I , the prison was used to hold conscientious objectors , including Philip Grosser , who wrote

9828-409: Was born at the lighthouse. Because of the fog, another lighthouse was built closer to the Pacific Ocean shore line, in the area adjoining Cabrillo National Monument now occupied by a U.S. Coast Guard Station. On March 23, 1891 the old light was extinguished and the new one lit. Israel took over the new location but was dismissed as the lighthouse keeper in 1892. He died at age 81 on January 12, 1908. He

9936-555: Was born in Guatemala in the year 1536 and died in 1592, Lima, Peru. According to Kelsey, the "de Medrano" part of his name was only added later by himself, not by baptism, however his research and biography of Cabrillo has been extensively criticized by Martin Torodash from Duke University in the Hispanic American Historical Review (1987). Cabrillo's heir Don Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo de Medrano

10044-413: Was built some old Spanish tiles were used in its cellar floorings. That is the full scope of its Latin ancestry. Talk has it that the Spanish had a beacon on Point Loma in 1701, but it has never been verified. Alcatraz Island Alcatraz Island ( / ˈ æ l k ə ˌ t r æ z / ) is a small island 1.25 miles (2.01 km) offshore from San Francisco, California , United States. The island

10152-422: Was constructed. In 1949 a statue of Cabrillo, donated by the government of Portugal, was installed on land near the lighthouse. In 1984, the light was re-lit by the National Park Service for the first time in 93 years, in celebration of the site's 130th birthday. More than 3,000 people attended the celebration, including more than 100 descendants of former lighthouse keepers Robert and Maria Israel. The names of

10260-458: Was designated as a National Historic Landmark , the highest recognition. In 1993, the National Park Service published a plan entitled Alcatraz Development Concept and Environmental Assessment. This plan, approved in 1980, doubled the area of Alcatraz accessible to the public, in order to enable visitors to enjoy its scenery and bird, marine, and animal life. Major sites in the cultural landscape include: American Indigenous groups, such as

10368-509: Was designated light number 355, of the Twelfth United States Lighthouse District. When the lighthouse was constructed, an additional small structure was built next to it. This building was originally used as a storehouse for oil, wood, and other supplies. However, in 1875 part of it was converted into a two-room apartment for the assistant lighthouse keeper. It was built with rough lumber and the inside

10476-412: Was developed in the mid-19th century with facilities for a lighthouse , a military fortification, and a military prison. In 1934, the island was converted into a federal prison , Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary . The strong currents around the island and cold water temperatures made escape nearly impossible, and the prison became one of the most notorious in American history. The prison closed in 1963, and

10584-689: Was estimated at US$ 1 billion. For the plan to pass, Congress would have to have taken Alcatraz out of the National Park Service. Critics of the plan said that Alcatraz is too rich in history to be destroyed. On February 6, 2008, the Alcatraz Island Global Peace Center Proposition C failed to pass, with 72% of voters rejecting the proposition. The coastal environment of the San Francisco Bay Area has caused deterioration and corrosion of building materials throughout Alcatraz. Beginning in 2011,

10692-479: Was from Spain, and a set of documents discovered in 2015 gave strength to that opinion. A witness from a 1532 lawsuit, named Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, testified under oath that he was "natural" [ sic ] of Palma de Micergilio, which many misunderstood as if being born or native of now Palma del Río , a town in the province of Córdoba in Spain. As an example of the difference between being born/native and natural/naturalized F. Pizarro himself used to say he

10800-647: Was laid in April 2011; her first official public unveiling was in September 2015 when she led a parade of tall ships. The replica ship now sails on regular tours in the waters of the Southern California coast as an educational historical resource. Proponents to change the name for Cabrillo College say Cabrillo left a legacy of indigenous exploitation. A faculty-led resolution delivered to Cabrillo College President Matt Wetstein accused Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo of enslaving indigenous people and profiting from

10908-452: Was later found on San Miguel Island. His second-in-command brought the remainder of the party back to Navidad, where they arrived April 14, 1543. A notary's official report of Cabrillo's expedition was lost; all that survives is a summary of it made by another investigator, Andrés de Urdaneta , who also had access to ships' logs and charts. No printed account of Cabrillo's voyage appeared before historian Antonio de Herrera's account early in

11016-560: Was lined with cloth and paper, since cracks would frequently develop in the walls. This thin lining was later replaced with tongue and groove boards. More repairs must have been made in 1880 for the structure was still being used as a living space for the assistant. Today this building has been changed once again, and now serves as a museum. It holds the original lens of the New Point Loma lighthouse as well as maps and more information about Point Loma and its history. While in operation

11124-685: Was named "Baya de los Fumos" (English: Smoke Bay). The following day they anchored overnight in Santa Monica Bay . Going up the coast Cabrillo saw Anacapa Island , which they learned from the Indigenous People was uninhabited. The fleet spent the next week in the islands, mostly anchored in Cuyler Harbor, a bay on the northeastern coast of San Miguel Island . On October 18 the expedition saw Point Conception , which they named "Cabo de Galera". Cabrillo's expedition recorded

11232-519: Was officially designated as the Western U.S. Military Prison, later Pacific Branch, U.S. Disciplinary Barracks, 1915. In 1909 construction began on the huge concrete main cell block, designed by Major Reuben Turner, which remains the island's dominant feature. It was completed in 1912. To accommodate the new cell block, the Citadel, a three-story barracks, was demolished down to the first floor, which

11340-558: Was reported by, among others, the San Francisco Chronicle and the San Francisco Examiner . Beginning on November 20, 1969, a group of Native Americans called United Indians of All Tribes , mostly college students from San Francisco, occupied the island to protest federal policies related to American Indians. Some of them were children of Native Americans who had relocated in the city as part of

11448-547: Was the encomendero of Xicalpa, Jocopila and Comitlán, and twice town magistrate of Santiago de Guatemala and owner of a cattle ranch along the road connecting Xicalapa to Miahuatlán. In February 1579 he helped Francisco Díaz Del Castillo as a witness to his testimony . He served as an active alcalde of the Cabildo in 1577. He was also involved in a dispute over the encomienda of Cobán . Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo de Medrano married with Isabel de Aldana and had two sons,

11556-518: Was the possible owner of the ship Anton Hernandez , indicated alternatively as the second largest ship in Cabrilho's fleet. According to Cabrilho's elder son, his father was one of the first settlers of Nicaragua. In November 1529, Juan Rodríguez portugués and Alvar Nuñez portugués were in Léon de Nicaragua, paying for the gold mines of Santa María de Buena Esperança defence garrison, suggesting Cabrilho

11664-454: Was turned over to the National Park Service in 1933. By 1935 the metal lantern room had been rebuilt and the lighthouse restored to its original condition. A concessionaire lived in the lighthouse, offering tours of the building and operating a tea room in the southern room on the main floor. With the outbreak of war in 1941, the lighthouse was painted camouflage green and was used as a signal tower to direct ships into San Diego Harbor . After

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