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Places
with a History on Catalina Island
Catalina Island’s rich history can be seen in many of the
buildings and landmarks that dot the town of Avalon.
The
Tuna Club
Founded in 1898, the Tuna Club is the oldest fishing club in the
United States. The club’s main goals were to elevate the sport
of fishing to its highest possible standard, and for the protection
of the game fish of Southern California.
Located
on the edge of Avalon Bay, the Tuna Club is a California Historical
Landmark and is on the National Registry of Historical Places. Many
notable dignitaries and personalities have been members of the Tuna
Club, including Theodore Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, Cecil B.
DeMille, Charlie Chaplin, and Bing Crosby.
Green
Pleasure Pier
Under the ownership of the Banning brothers who formed the Santa
Catalina Island Company in 1894, Avalon flourished as both a tourist
resort and fisherman’s paradise. By 1906, the beach was crowded
with boat stands, launches, rowboats, people, racks of drying fish,
and sea lions waiting for a handout! In order to relieve the congestion,
a pier was built running parallel to the beach, but a storm destroyed
it in 1908.
In
February 1909, the Freeholders Improvement Association of Avalon
applied to the War Department to build a pleasure wharf, which the
Santa Catalina Island Company would construct and maintain. Permission
was granted and the pier was completed in the same year. In 1914,
the pier was transferred to the City of Avalon.
For
many years, it has been Avalon’s official weigh station for
sport fishermen. Seaplanes also landed at the end of the pier in
the 1950s and 1960s.
Today,
the Green Pleasure Pier is still a hub of activity. It is home to
the Catalina Island Chamber of Commerce’s Visitors Center,
where you can get information seven days a week. You can also find
tours, water activities, dive centers, and some great places to
eat on the 407-foot pier.
Catalina
Country Club & Golf Course
For 30 years, with only a brief break during the war years, William
Wrigley Jr. brought his baseball team, the Chicago Cubs, to Catalina
Island for spring training. The baseball field on Catalina Island
was built to match the dimensions of Wrigley Field in Chicago. A
clubhouse was also built to house the team’s lockers and provide
a social setting for the players.
While
only a plaque remains on the site of the field where the Cubs once
played, the historic clubhouse still remains. Now known as the Catalina
Island Country Club, the clubhouse is open to the public. It features
not only a restaurant and bar, but a great display of Chicago Cubs
memorabilia.
Zane
Grey Pueblo Hotel
In 1926, author Zane Grey built a home the hillside overlooking
Avalon Bay. He spent most of his later life in Avalon writing and
fishing. His home is now a hotel that still includes some of Grey’s
original furnishings.
Inn
on Mt. Ada
The Inn on Mt. Ada is a six-room private bed and breakfast and the
only hotel on Catalina Island to be awarded the Four-Star Award
by Mobil Travel Guide. Located on top of Mt. Ada, the inn boasts
breathtaking views of Avalon Bay and the town of Avalon.
Built
in 1921, The Inn on Mt. Ada is the former home of chewing gum magnate
William Wrigley Jr. The Georgian colonial style inn has been meticulously
restored and furnished to represent the time that the Wrigley family
lived in the house.It is listed in the National Register of Historic
Places.
Chimes
Tower
Built in 1925, the Chimes Tower was presented as a gift to the town
of Avalon by Mrs. Ada Wrigley. Located up and across from the Zane
Grey Pueblo Hotel, the chimes have been tolling on the quarter of
the hour between 8:00am and 8:00pm since 1925.
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