Register - Log In


FunTrivia Homepage


  • New Questions

  • Unanswered


  • Post a Question

    • Goto Qn #




    Archives

    What earned Alcatraz the nickname "Devil's Island?"

    Question #37935. Asked by greg9570. (Aug 24 03 8:35 PM)


    gmackematix

    		I thought Devil's Island was an island penal colony off the coast of French Guiana where Dreyfus was infamously imprisoned, where as Alcatraz was an island prison off San Francisco running from 1903 to 1963.

    Aug 24 03, 8:45 PM
    lothruin

    		The original nickname was "Uncle Sam's Devil's Island", because of it's obvious similarity to THE Devil's Island, which IS an island off the coast of French Guiana, which was known for it's maximum security prison.

    Of course, we American's don't consider anything that is four times as long as the actual name to be an appropriate nickname, and we also like to think we came up with things first, so it got shortened to Devil's Island.

    Aug 24 03, 9:09 PM
    Jug Head

    		The better known nick name of Alcatraz is "The Rock"...

    Aug 24 03, 9:41 PM
    Senior Moments

    		As well as being known as the Rock, the name Alcatraz is the Anglicized version of the Spanish word "Alcatraces," meaning "pelican."

    Aug 26 03, 6:36 AM

    Find something useful here? Please help us spread the word about FunTrivia. Recommend this page below!


    Sign up to see all responses!

    Create a Free ID instantly to see all recent responses, post your own follow-ups or questions, and access over 1,000,000 trivia questions!

    Choose a User Name:
    Your Email Address:
    Choose a Password:

    I agree by the terms outlined in FunTrivia's Conditions of Use




    Other Similar Questions & Answers


    What island group was once called Islands of Devils?

    Which British heavyweight earned the nickname of the Liverpool Lip?

    Which king earned his nickname by stopping wearing trousers?

    Suggested Related FunTrivia Quizzes - 90,000 currently online

    1 Alcatraz
    I only visited Alcaztraz once but I put some of the info in the quiz!
    		Prisons Average
    5 Q
    corny05
    Jun 24 01
    1431 plays
    2 The Island
    This is a quiz on 2005's "The Island", starring Ewan McGregor and Scarlett Johansson. I hope you enjoyed the movie as much as I did, and I hope you enjoy my quiz.
    		Island, The Average
    15 Q
    MCBRIDES1.
    Oct 08 05
    762 plays
    3 ...A Penny Earned
    This is a quiz about the humble one cent coin, or penny. It may not be worth much, but it has a fascinating history.
    		U.S. Coins & Banknotes Average
    10 Q
    daver852
    Dec 17 09
    396 plays




    "Ask FunTrivia" is for entertainment purposes only, and answers offered are unverified and unchecked by FunTrivia. We cannot guarantee the accuracy or veracity of ANY statement posted. Feel free to post an updated response if you feel that an answer is inadequate or incorrect. Please thoroughly research items where accuracy is important to you using multiple reliable sources. By accessing our website, you agree to be bound by our terms of service.