Once Derelict…Now Famous

Throughout the world, there are many once-abandoned sites that now attract curious tourists. One of the most famous is Alcatraz Island.

Located in the San Francisco Bay, Alcatraz once housed a military fortress, the first lighthouse on the West Coast and a prison.

The prison was closed in 1963 and was left derelict  (see definition and hear pronunciation below) until 1972 when Congress made Alcatraz part of the National Park Service and opened it to tourists.

Now, more than a million tourists visit the site each year to experience the mystery and fascination of Alcatraz Island and its famous prison.

Cool word vocabulary question of the day: Can you think of any other derelict structures that could be transformed into a tourist attraction?

Derelict: Abandoned property; deserted; dilapidated; negligent.

Click here to hear a pronunciation of derelict.

https://coolwordclub.com/wp-content/uploads/derelict.mp3