Add to ORKGView of the east end of the island; Alcatraz Island (sometimes informally referred to as simply Alcatraz) is a small island located in the middle of San Francisco Bay in California, United States. It served as a lighthouse, then a military fortification, then a military prison followed by a federal prison until 1963. It became a national recreation area in 1972. Today, the island is a historic site supervised by the National Park Service as part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area and is open to tours. Visitors can reach the island by ferry ride from Pier 33, near Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco. It was listed as a National Historic Landmark in 1986. Source: Wikipedia; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page (accessed 2/10/2008