Historically Catalina's ecosystem has had many encounters with people. Despite this fact, the island has remained well-preserved as many rare and endemic species still roam the lands. In the past, Native Americans utilized Catalina's resources, including the ocean and plants, to sustain their hunter-gatherer life. Then in 1602, the island transformed into a small Spanish settlement, bringing new diseases and eventually displacing the Natives. Following this, Santa Catalina came under American rule in 1846, which briefly brought miners and new land stakeholders until 1848. The people who inhabited the island after that began developing the town of Avalon. This development included telephones, dance pavilions, a band stand, an aquarium, a railroad, and a golf course. Even throughout this time, Catalina continued to be relatively undeveloped. This explains why Philip K. Wrigley and his family donated almost 90% of the land to the non-profit Catalina Island Conservancy to preserve the rest of the land. The Wrigleys believed that these remaining portions should be conserved rather than developed [Catalina Chamber of Commerce].
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| Above is a 1940s flyer advertising the ferry to and from Catalina Island on the S.S. Avalon and S.S. Catalina. [Cruise Line History] |
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