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Alcatraz Island, located in San Francisco Bay, is famous for its military and federal prison. "The Rock," as it is affectionately known, has hosted much real life and pop culture. The lighthouse on the island is the oldest operating one on the west coast of the U.S. After the Mexican-American War, the island became a fort to protect the newly acquired Californian territory. It was first used as a prison during the American Civil War. Many of America's most famous criminals, from Al Capone to Mickey Cohen, were incarcerated here. Not one of the prison's infamous inmates escaped in 29 years of operation. Today, the island is a U.S. Historic Landmark, and is immortalized in blockbuster movies and books.