When did Alcatraz close? A look at the notorious prison's history

SAN FRANCISCO - One of America's most popular prisons is back in the headlines with Trump officials touring the penitentiary for possible renovation and reopening. 

Here is some background information about the historic prison. 

Alcatraz Island, simply known as Alcatraz, was once America’s most secure federal prison. 

Located in the middle of San Francisco Bay, the rocky island began housing military prisoners by the late 1850s.

When did Alcatraz close?

From 1934 until its closure in 1963, Alcatraz operated as a maximum-security federal penitentiary designed to hold what some consider America's most notorious criminals. Inmates included George "Machine Gun" Kelly, mob boss Al Capone, and Robert Stroud "Birdman of Alcatraz."

The prison was ultimately shut down due to its high operating costs and the difficulty of maintaining the island's facility.

Who oversees Alcatraz?

Now, Alcatraz is preserved and managed by the National Park Service. 

The now-abandoned federal prison attracts about 1.6 million visitors every year for tours, bringing in an estimated $60 million in annual revenue, according to the Park Service.

Alcatraz escapes

While Alcatraz was in service, a total of 36 men attempted 14 separate escapes, according to the FBI.

Most escapees were caught or didn’t survive the attempt. 

Twenty-three were recaptured, three drowned, and seven were shot and killed. 

What some consider the most famous escape involved inmates Frank Morris and brothers John and Clarence Anglin, who successfully broke out on June 11, 1962. 

The three escapees were never seen again. A search was conducted but remains unresolved. 

Trump officials' visit to Alcatraz

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi toured Alcatraz on Thursday morning in hopes of reopening the prison.

Burgum said the visit was "to start the work to renovate and reopen the site to house the most dangerous criminals and illegals."

"Spent the day on Alcatraz Island, a [National Park Service] site, to start the work to renovate and reopen the site to house the most dangerous criminals and illegals," Burgum said on X. "This administration is restoring safety, justice, and order to our streets."

President Donald Trump in May called for the reopening of the dilapidated prison to house the nation's most "ruthless and violent offenders." Bureau of Prisons Director William Marshall visited the island the same month, and told FOX News at the time that he was "confident" the island could reopen as a prison.

What California leaders are saying

The proposal garnered sharp rebukes from several prominent California politicians criticizing the logistics and viability of the plan.

Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) told KTVU on Thursday that the effort to reopen the infamous prison is a "diversionary tactic" to draw Americans' focus away from Trump's recent "big, beautiful bill." 

Pelosi also questioned how the administration would foot the bill for the repairs, which have been estimated to cost nearly $1 billion.

"It remains to be seen how this Administration could possibly afford to spend billions to convert and maintain Alcatraz as a prison when they are already adding trillions of dollars to the national debt with their sinful law," Pelosi said.

Gov. Gavin Newsom's office echoed Pelosi’s sentiments by calling the proposal a "distraction day in Washington, D.C.," and on Thursday derided the Trump administration’s plan.

San Francisco