On Day 6, I took the ferry to Alcatraz Island, home of the famous prison. Originally the island was developed in the mid-19th century with facilities for a lighthouse,
and a military fortification and prison. In 1934, the island was converted into a federal prison for the worst of the worst inmates in the U.S. prison system,
with cold water temperatures and strong currents making successful escape nearly impossible.
The prison was closed in 1963. In November 1969, the island was occupied for more than 19 months by a group of Native Americans, primarily from
San Francisco, but later joined by other urban Indians from other parts of the United States. The island is now a tourist attraction, beginning in 1972. After Alcatraz, I took
a ride on the Hyde-Powell streetcar towards and through Chinatown.
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