 |
|
Human history on
Catalina Island dates
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. Today many cruise
ships stop and passengers go ashore. 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 island's
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.
|
