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Twenty-six miles across the sea, separated from you and me, by the gray waters that lie in hand, is a jewel of an island by the name of Catalina.

CATALINA, CA

Dave
2004-02-21 13:55:20

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Twenty-six miles across the sea, separated from you and me, by the gray waters that lie in hand, is a jewel of an island by the name of Catalina. If you arrive at sunset you may be treated and teased by nature’s wonderful display of color and light. If you arrive after dark the sparkling diamonds of Avalon will beckon you with their mysterious, yet at the same time energizing lights. And, if you arrive at any other time, you will just have to wait until the evening unfolds its magic.

Human history dates back to this island from about 500 BC. The Gabrielino Indians were the first humans to live on the island. In 1542 Juan R. Cabrillo became the first European to set eyes on the island. In the 1790’s the sea otter population suffered tremendously due to the over hunting by various cultures. During the Spanish-Mexican occupation Catalina became a hub for piracy and smuggling.

Americans took control of the island in the early 1800’s. During the early 1860’s a group of Union soldiers camped on the island and built several barracks, which can still be seen if you visit Two Harbors.

Tourists started flocking to the shores of Catalina in the mid 1880’s. In 1887 Avalon was founded as a resort town. A terrible fire roared through Avalon in the 1890’s, which destroyed the main hotel at the time, the Hotel Metropole. William Wrigley, of Wrigley’s chewing gum fame, purchased a controlling interest of Catalina in 1919. At this point the islands tourism took off and Hollywood stars and starlets began to frequent the island.

While tourism was healthy for the local economy it did not always have the best effects on the environment. In 1975 the Santa Catalina Island Conservancy purchased 88% of the island for protection and preservation of endemic species and the land itself.

There are several methods of getting to Avalon from the mainland. By far the most ...