LYCOS RETRIEVER 
Alcatraz: Alcatraz Lighthouse
built 178 days ago
Alcatraz was the home of the West Coast’s first lighthouse. Equipped with a simple oil lamp, the Alcatraz light began guiding ships through the narrow entrance to the bay in 1854. In 1909, when construction of the cellhouse threatened to block the light beam to the north, the old lighthouse was replaced with the 84-foot tower seen on the island today. The tower’s automated rotating light, supplemented by powerful foghorns on either side of the island, continues to be a key navigational aid.
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Alcatraz is one of the biggest tourist attractions and most famous landmarks in San Francisco. One million tourists take the Alcatraz ferry every year to visit what was once America’s most famous Federal prison. Small cells, strict rules, and cold foggy nights were the Alcatraz trademarks. Before Alcatraz was a prison it was the site of the first lighthouse and US fort on the West Coast.
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Work on the first Alcatraz lighthouse began in 1852. The original structure was a California cottage - a two-story structure with a tower in the center. The fifty-foot lighthouse was painted white with black trim and a back lantern room. The fixed third-order lens did not arrive until October 1853. Budget problems delayed installation until 1854. A fog bell was added in 1856, when it was clear that San Francisco's now well-known fog often rendered the light ineffective. The original bell was rung by hand.
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In 1847, Alcatraz was taken over by the United States military. The Rock had extreme strategic value, especially during these times of tension between the United States and the Mexican government. Topographical engineers began conducting geological surveys and by 1853, a military fortress was started. One year later, a lighthouse was established (the first on the Pacific Coast) to guide ships through the Golden Gate.
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After 56 years of use, Alcatraz Lighthouse #1 was torn down in 1909 to make way for the construction of Alcatraz prison. Alcatraz Lighthouse #2 was located next to the cell house and completed on December 1, 1909. Its 84-foot (26 m) tower of concrete contained a smaller, fourth-order lens. In 1963, the fresnel lens of Alcatraz Lighthouse #2 was replaced with an automated rotating beacon. The keepers were then discharged.[2]
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Alcatraz Island is one of the parks’ most popular destinations; daily tours (Alcatraz is open daily except for Christmas and New Year’s day) offer a close-up look at this former federal prison. Visitors to the island can not only explore the remnants of the prison, but ... learn about the Native American occupation of 1969-1971, early military fortifications, and the West Coast's first and oldest operating lighthouse. The island also features gardens, tide pools, bird colonies, and spectacular bay views.
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Alcatraz Lighthouse