“The Rock”, the oft-used vernacular phrase used to describe Alcatraz, is perhaps one of the Bay Area’s most dramatic landscapes, and certainly it’s best known island. Over the past several hundred years, it has served at times as a place for protest by Native Americans and a place of incarceration for some of America’s most hardened (and colorful) criminals. The National Park Service recently created this rather well-done online exhibit that allows users to view objects from Alcatraz’s past (such as escape materials and historic photographs) and also to allow them to take a virtual tour of the prison and its grounds. Visitors can also listen to a number of compelling sound clips that discuss the infamous “Battle of Alcatraz” and the cellhouse rules. The site also features a number of thematic slide shows, including one that addresses the occupation of the island by members of the American Indian Movement from 1969 to 1971.
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