Photo by: Joshua Hawley

The operating bed in the hospital wing. Alcatraz has served many purposes, first as a military fort and then a military prison. Known mainly for being a federal prison from 1933-1963, it is now a National Historic Landmark and one of the most visited sites as part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. In 1969 the island was occupied for 19 months by a group of Native Americans to protest federal policies related to American Indians.