A closer look
When the notorious Alcatraz federal penitentiary closed in 1963, ruthless developers wanted to bulldoze it to build a luxury resort and casino. But before the corporate overlords could pave over the misery, Native American activists occupied the island in 1969 to claim it as unceded land. Their 19-month occupation stalled the casino plans permanently and forced the government to transfer the island to the National Park Service. Ironically, this radical protest birthed one of the most profitable dark tourism sites in American history.
