Santa Catalina Island

Santa Catalina Island is located off the coast of California, United States. It is often called Catalina Island or Catalina. At the greatest width it is 13 km or eight miles wide and twenty two kilometer long. The distance from the south west of Los Angeles it is about 22 miles faraway. Its highest point is 2097 feet. Its population is about 3696 in two thousand.

In the ancient time the island was inhabited by people of the Gabrielino/Tongya tribe. They live in a village near San Pedro and Playa Del Rey of todays. They regularly travel for trade. By the end of the 19th century, the island was almost uninhabited except for a few cattle herders. At that time, its location just 20 miles (30 km) from Los Angeles—a city that had reached the population of 50,000 in 1890 and was undergoing a period of enormous growth—was a major factor that contributed to the development of the island into a vacation destination.

One of main investors to purchase shares from the Bannings was chewing gum magnate William Wrigley, Jr. He was convinced to invest in Santa Catalina Island and, before his purchase; he traveled to Catalina with his wife, Ada, and son, Philip. Wrigley immediately fell in love with the island, and he bought out every last share-holder until he owned the controlling share of the Santa Catalina Island Company.

About 400 species of native plants grow on the island. The island is home to five native land mammals. About a million tourists visit the island every year. Catalina is home to two yacht clubs: Catalina Island Yacht Club is headquartered in Avalon Bay and Isthmus Yacht Club is headquartered in the 1864 Union Army Barracks at Two Harbors. Many mainland yacht clubs maintain Catalina stations.

Official Website:

http://www.catalinachamber.com/

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