An elevated view of Alcatraz Island in San Francisco Bay, showing the long cellhouse along the crest, the lighthouse tower, the walled recreation yard, and the dock and lower buildings at the island's tip. The card uses the island's nickname, "The Rock," and describes the federal prison as practically escape-proof, with a powerful searchlight and foghorn warning shipping to keep clear. Alcatraz had served as a U.S. Army post and military prison before becoming a federal penitentiary in 1934; it operated until 1963.
Linen-textured stock with a narrow white border; printed card number "—7" at the end of the caption.
No postmark (card is unstamped). Divided-back "Natural Color" post card printed by E. C. Kropp Co. for publisher Edward R. Stenberg; handwritten date Mar-2-1945 on the message side; light edge wear and slight toning.
Cite this card
The Rock, Alcatraz Island, San Francisco, CA, 1945, postcard, c. 1945. PostalPast Collection. https://postalpast.com/postcard/the-rock-alcatraz-island-san-francisco-ca-1945. Accessed November 2, 2026.
