“USA 🇺🇸 ~California at Catalina Island”

• May 4, 2021
• By Pen
• 2 Comments

Catalina Island ~Avalon 

What a fascinating places, with such interesting history, as well as being very beautiful!
Daryl and I would like to go back, again, someday and perhaps spend the night on the island. This option, over a day-trip, happens to be very expensive, as prices are extravagant. But one night might be fun, and we will start to save our pennies!

My sister, Debby and her hubs; Vern, flew to California (from Oregon). We slipped in some quality time, together.
We drove to Newport Beach and took a fast-Ferry out from there, to Avalon on Catalina: 1 hr 15 minutes. We had calm waters, sunshine and it was warm.

 We only had a day to explore. and we choose the island bus tour and highly recommend this option. It was fabulous and we got to see all of the island, with the great scenic spots!

Santa Catalina Island, often called Catalina Island, or just Catalina, is a rocky island off the coast of the U.S. state of California in the Gulf of Santa Catalina. The island is 22 miles long, and 8 miles across at its greatest width.

The town of Avalon is the only city on the island. This is where the Ferry and Cruises work out of. However, there are many small ports and beaches all over.

We chose the “Inland Expedition” tour, on the 1950’s original bus, from back in the day!
Originally, these buses were brought in by United Airlines, after the airlport was opened. United eventually left, due to lack of sales, but the airport remained, but since then, as a private airport. The buses we left behind, however, and became tour buses. They are still used to this day. Oh, and the air conditioning are little electric fans.
I think we ended up going about 40 miles, total, around the island.l, in around three hours.

Debby was on the same side of the bus, as our “road block,” so I handed her my camera. She gets credit for the shot. We finally had to keep moving and passed by this beast within inches of his face. He was NOT budging, but he also did not ram the bus!
There is a large herd of Buffalo on the island, and as the the story goes…. in the early 1950’s, Hollywood planned to make a western movie on the island (one of many) and for this particular film, they wanted Buffalo. So, they had 114 Bison shipped over. But, as soon as the animals arrived on the island, they could not and would not be controlled, and they have been roaming free, ever since. The movie got made, but minus the Buffaloes.
(I love this story)!

The main road around the island, was originally a stage couch road ⬆️ and was built over the course of eight years; going back as early as the 1800’s. It is the only way up and down, and is still the road used today; very narrow.

We arrived  ⬆️ at the the “Airport in the Sky”

Catalina Island’s only airport is privately owned and located 10 miles (30-minute drive) from Avalon, and 13 miles (45-minute drive) from Two Harbors. The airport sits on a plateau, 1,600 feet above sea level; one of the highest points on the island.
The airport is open the public and is primarily used for general aviation. Freight aircraft arriving from the mainland also use “Airport in the Sky.” There are no scheduled passenger flights to and from Catalina Island. 

“Airport in the Sky” was commissioned by the Wrigley family. Two mountain tops were leveled and the remaining canyon filled in to create the 3,200 foot runway.  Construction of the runway began in 1940 and was nearly complete when Pearl Harbor was bombed in 1941.
Because of World War II, construction was halted and the airfield, along with the rest of Catalina Island, was leased to the United States Government for $1 per year. The runway was covered with debris so that enemy aircraft would not be able to use it as a base.
After the island was returned to the Wrigley family and the Santa Catalina Island Company, paving of the runway and completion of the tower and terminal building commenced. The airport officially opened in 1946.

A new winery ⬆️ was being established on the Island, by the Wrigley family.

They call this cove “Whales Tail” for obvious reasons. Do you see it?

In addition to this special little cove, this beach is where the movie “Mutiny on the Bounty” was filmed. The palm trees were shipped in and planted for the movie to create a Tahiti village.
The movie “The Hunt for Red October,” was also filmed off this beach.

School House in Avalon Canyon
In 1925 a bond issue was unanimously passed to erect a new school building on the Island. William Wrigley Jr. donated several acres of land in Avalon Canyon for the building site. By 1930 the high school, elementary school, and a library were in place.
The school buildings were later damaged in the Long Beach earthquake of 1933 and were closed for retrofitting.  For two years, classes were held in tents; a total of 10 tents.
By the spring of 1936, the main buildings were re-dedicated and occupied. The shop and gymnasium buildings were reopened in 1937 completing the reconstruction of the school facilities.
Over the years, the school continued to grow to accommodate the increasing number of students and today about 650 students attend Avalon Schools. Yet, the school has maintained its small size and sense of community.  

Looking below ⬆️ you can see a row of Eucalyptus Trees. These trees are not indigenous to California, yet they are all over the state. In this case, they were planted many years ago and act as a guardrail on the narrow and steep road.

All too soon, our day was done, and it was time to line up, to get back on the Ferry; to return to Newport and head back home, to Laguna Niguel….but not before we bought $4.00 ice cream cones on the island!

Next up, we would visit Crystal Cove Beach, where they filmed “Beaches,” but that’s another blog post.

Some More History of Catalina:

William Wrigley Jr., founder of the chewing gum, bought nearly every share of the the Santa Catalina Island Company until he owned the controlling interest. Wrigley invested millions in the island, building infrastructure and attractions. To bring attention and tourists to the Island, he made the Island the spring training home of the Chicago Cub’s, which he owned. Wrigley built the Catalina Country Club to house the team’s lockers and provide a gathering place for players. The team continued to train on the island until 1951. In 1929, he built the iconic Catalina Casino, which boasts the world’s largest circular ballroom. Philip Wrigley, son of William Wrigley Jr., took over and continued his father’s vision, after his father passed away in 1932. During World War II, the island served as a military training facility and was closed to tourists.
The Island was a popular spot for tourists the Hollywood elite during the 1930’s, 1940’s and 1950’s. It was also a popular spot for Hollywood filming. Many silent films were made here. Hollywood filming continues, to this day.

In 1975, Mr. and Mrs. Philip Wrigley and Philip’s sister, Dorothy Wrigley Offield, deeded 42,000 acres owned by the Santa Catalina Island Company to the Catalina Island Conservancy, giving the Conservancy control of 88% of the island. The conservancy is the oldest and largest private land trust in Southern California. Catalina Island is home to 60 plant, animal and insect species found nowhere else in the world.

Today, the Santa Catalina Island Company is owned by descendants of William Wrigley Jr., who carry on his vision for building and maintaining a world class island resort.

Click on the link to enjoy all the photos from Catalina Island:

https://picsbypen.smugmug.com/Places/North-AmericaLife/United-States/CaliforniaLife/BeachLife/Catalina-Island/