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Santa Catalina Island, also commonly called simply Catalina Island, is a rocky island off the coast of California. It is only one of the Channel Islands island chain to have a permanent settlement, the resort city of Avalon, California. It is located about 22 miles (35 km) south-southwest off the coast of San Pedro, California. It is about 76 mile˛ (197 km˛) in size and has a permanent population of about 3,000. Annually, about a million tourists visit the island every year. It is serviced by ferries and the "Airport-In-The-Sky."
Glass bottom boats tour the reefs and shipwrecks of the area, and scuba diving is popular in the clear water. It is famous for the schools of flyingfish which live in local waters. Bus tours are given of the interior.
About 400 species of native plants grow on the island, including the endangered Santa Cruz Island rock cress (Sibara filifolia). Several species of plants are found only on Catalina Island, including: Cliff spurge (Euphorbia misera), Island cherry (Prunus ilicifolia ssp. lyonii), and Catalina ironwood (Lyonothamnus floribundus ssp. floribundus).
1 History
Prior to the modern era the island was inhabited by people of the Tongva tribe, who also dwelled in the area of Los Angeles, had villages near present day San Pedro and Playa del Rey, and who regularly travelled back and forth to Catalina for trade.
Phineas Banning and his brothers bought the island in 1891Events January 1 ? Paying of old age pensions begins in Germany January 20 James Hogg becomes the first native Texan to be governor of that state. January 29 Liliuokalani proclaimed Queen of Hawaii March 9 ? 12 ? Powerful storm off England?s south coast; and established the Santa Catalina Island Company to develop it as a resort. Their efforts were set back on November 29November 29 is the 333rd (in leap years the 334th) day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. There are 32 days remaining. Events 1777 San Jose, California, is founded as el Pueblo de San Jose de Guadalupe''. It is the first civilian settlement, or pueblo, 1915Events January 12 The Rocky Mountain National Park is established by an act of Congress. January 12 United States House of Representatives rejects proposal to give women the right to vote. January 13 An earthquake (6. 8 in Richter scale) in Avezzano, Ital when a fire burned half of Avalon's buildings, including six hotels and several clubs. World War IWorld War I (also known as the First World War , the Great War the War of the Nations and the "War to End All Wars") was a world conflict occurring from 1914 to 1918. No previous conflict had mobilized so many soldiers, or involved so many in the field of also hampered tourism and the Bannings were forced to sell the island.
William Wrigley, Jr. bought Catalina Island in 1919Events January January 1 Edsel Ford succeeds his father as head of the Ford Motor Company January 5 Spartacist uprising Socialist demonstrations in Berlin turn into attempted communist revolution with Spartacist League in the forefront January 9 Spartacus and devoted himself to preserving and promoting it. In 1921Events January 2 The first religious radio broadcast ( KDKA AM in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) January 2 Spanish liner Santa Isabel sinks off Villa Garcia 244 dead January 2 DeYoung Museum in Golden Gate Park San Francisco opens. January 20 Republic of Turke he sold lots for building in the town of Avalon. The tourism industry was encouraged by the construction of the beautiful Art DecoArt Deco was a movement in decorative arts that also affected architecture, deriving its name from the World's fair held in Paris in 1925, formally titled the Exposition Internationale des Arts Decoratifs et Industriels Modernes, which showcased French lu dance hall in 1929, called the Casino although it has never had any gambling, which has a capacity of over 6,000 dancers. From 1927- 1937 pottery and tile were made on the island, and are now collector's items. The Chicago Cubs, also owned by Wrigley, used the island for the team's spring training.
A herd of bison roamed the island for many decades, supposedly imported for a film. Boars, brought over as game, also ran free.
In 1975, Philip Wrigley deeded the Wrigley shares in the Santa Catalina Island Company to the Catalina Island Conservancy that he had helped create. It now owns the vast majority of the island. The Conservancy is tasked with the responsibility of maintaining the island's natural state. It is erradicating invasive weeds and removing all the bison, boars, and non-native animals.
