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Wrigley
Memorial and Botanical Gardens
The Wrigley
Memorial honors the memory of William Wrigley Jr., who lived
from 1861 to 1932. Although best known as the founder of the Wm.
Wrigley Jr. Company, largest manufacturer of chewing gum in the
world, he also played an instrumental role in the history of
Santa Catalina Island. He loved the Catalina Island and helped
build the infrastructure for this thriving region of Los Angeles
County. Public utilities, the Casino building, a hotel and
transportation to the island were part of his island legacy. But
William Wrigley Jr. would not rest until his vision was set in
place—
Santa Catalina Island was to remain ecologically-protected for
all generations to enjoy.
Not to be
confused with Wrigley's other assets spread around the nation,
including Tournament (of Roses) House and Wrigley Gardens at 391
South Orange Grove Boulevard, Pasadena, his Catalina Island
Botanical Gardens require a boat trip, a cruise vacation or
flight to the island to enjoy. While this botanic garden exists
as one of Los Angeles County's most remote to access, the visit
is well worth one day of your time (1-hour boat excursions leave
daily from Long Beach, San Pedro, Newport Beach and Dana Point).
One of the most natural gardens you'll find in the L.A. region
includes desert cactus, succulents with seasonal flower blooms
and plants that thrive in Southern California's desert
atmosphere. While visitors often believe that Southern
California is a lush paradise similar to Hawaii, in reality the
region receives an average annual rainfall of 10 to 12 inches
and in a natural state, appears somewhat earthy and rugged. Dry,
yet often cool and moist climate of an island make this
geographic region unique for growing a variety of flowers and
plants.
The Memorial
Garden showcases plants that grow naturally only on Santa
Catalina Island. There are eight Catalina endemics catalogued
and now maintained under the direction of the Wrigley Memorial
Garden Foundation. These include a rare Catalina Ironwood. The
Garden's emphasis on California island endemic plants that
grow naturally on one or more of the California islands, but
nowhere else in the world, ) Many of these plants are extremely
rare, and some are on the Endangered Species list.
In 1969, the
Wrigley Memorial Garden Foundation expanded and revitalized the
garden's 37+ acres. Along with the new plantings came a new
attitude. In the same way that the Wrigley Memorial uses
primarily native building materials, Note: In 1996, the Wrigley
Memorial Garden Foundation merged with the Catalina Island
Conservancy.
In 1935, Ada
Wrigley (William's wife), contracted and supervised Pasadena
horticulturalist Albert Conrad to plant a Desert Plant
Collection. Ada came up with the idea of creating a garden in
this perfect location―Santa
Catalina Island's temperate marine climate made it possible to
showcase plants from every corner of the earth.
The Wrigley
Memorial and Botanical Garden is 1 ½ miles up Avalon Canyon
Road. The walk is pleasant, passing the 9-hole Golf Course, a
ballpark, horse stables and the Hermit Gulch campground. But on
an arid summer day, you may want to rent a golf cart and drive
to the Gardens as part of your tour of the Island. Golf carts
are available for rental to adults per availability.
With
commanding view of Avalon Bay, the Wrigley Memorial is the
centerpiece of the Botanical Garden. It was built in 1933-34
with the goal of using as much Catalina materials as possible.
Quarried Catalina stones can be seen in the reinforced concrete
construction -- the facade having been sandblasted to hide the
cement and highlight the native crushed stones.
The blue flagstone rock on the ramps and terraces comes from
Little Harbor, on Catalina's "back" side. And the red roof tiles
and all the colorful handmade glazed tiles used for finishings
came from the Catalina Pottery plant, which was in operation
from 1927 to 1937. The marble inside the tower was quarried in
Georgia.
Hours and Directions
Persons with disabilities may arrange for assistance when
visiting this facility by calling (310) 510-2288.
Hours
The Garden is open daily from 8a.m to 5p.m., year round.
Admission
Admission is free to Catalina Island Conservancy Members.
Adult Admission is $5, children under 12 are free.
Getting There
The Wrigley Memorial and Botanical Garden is one and one-half
miles up Avalon Canyon Road. The walk is pleasant, passing the
Golf Course, the town's ballpark, and the Hermit Gulch
campground.
The Wrigley Memorial honors the memory of William Wrigley Jr.,
who lived from 1861 to 1932. Although best known as the founder
of the Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company, largest manufacturer of chewing
gum in the world, he also played an instrumental role in the
history of Catalina Island. He truly loved the island, and with
undying enthusiasm and energy, he brought numerous improvements:
public utilities, new steamships, a hotel, The Casino building,
and extensive plantings of trees, shrubs and flowers. William
Wrigley Jr.'s greatest legacy was his remarkable vision and plan
for the future of Catalina Island -- that it remain protected
for all generations to enjoy.
With its commanding view of Avalon Bay, The Wrigley Memorial is
the centerpiece of the Botanical Garden. It was built in 1933-34
with the goal of using as much Catalina materials as possible.
Quarried Catalina stones can be seen in the reinforced concrete
construction -- the facade having been sandblasted to hide the
cement and highlight the native crushed stones.
The blue flagstone rock on the ramps and terraces comes from
Little Harbor, on Catalina's "back" side. And the red roof tiles
and all the colorful handmade glazed tiles used for finishings
came from the Catalina Pottery plant, which was in operation
from 1927 to 1937. The marble inside the tower was quarried in
Georgia.
The idea for a garden came from Mr. Wrigley's wife, Ada. In
1935, she supervised Pasadena horticulturalist Albert Conrad,
who planted the original Desert Plant Collection. Catalina
Island's temperate marine climate made it possible to showcase
plants from every corner of the earth.
In 1969, the Wrigley Memorial Garden Foundation expanded and
revitalized the garden's 37.85 acres. Along with the new
plantings came a new attitude. In the same way that the Wrigley
Memorial uses primarily native building materials, the Garden
places a special emphasis on California island endemic plants.
(Plants, which grow naturally on one or more of the California
islands, but nowhere else in the world.) Many of these plants
are extremely rare, and some are on the Endangered Species list.
The Memorial Garden is particularly concerned with the six
Catalina endemics - plants, which grow naturally only on
Catalina Island. The Wrigley Memorial Garden Foundation
maintains a special interest in the preservation of all Catalina
endemics, including the rare Catalina Ironwood.
In 1996 the Wrigley Memorial Garden Foundation merged with the
Catalina Island Conservancy. This was a natural combining of two
important ecological organizations, both dedicated to the
protection and restoration of Santa Catalina Island.
Hours
The Gardens are open daily from 8a.m. to 5p.m., year round.
Admission
Adult Admission is $5, children under 12 are free.
Getting There
The Memorial and Gardens are one and a half miles up Avalon
Canyon Road. The walk is pleasant, passing the Golf Course, the
town's ballpark, and the Hermit Gulch campground.
Catalina Island Conservancy
P.O. Box 2739
Avalon, CA 90704
(310) 510-2595
Port Briefing: Catalina
By Harry Martin
August 10, 2004
"Twenty six miles across the sea
"Santa Catalina is a-waiting for me
"Santa Catalina, the island of
"Romance, romance, romance, romance."
Immortalized by the Four Preps tune from the 1950s, Catalina
Island continues to woo lovers – and cruisers – year-round. As a
stop on four-night Baja cruises offered by Royal Caribbean and
Carnival from Long Beach/San Pedro, the town of Avalon offers
visitors plenty of ways to enjoy the scenic splendor of the
island and relish its temperate Mediterranean climate.
Located 22 miles off the coast of Los Angeles, the resort
destination began as a Mexican land grant. Over the years, Santa
Catalina passed among a variety of ranchers and entrepreneurs
until chewing gum magnate William Wrigley took controlling
interest in 1919. Wrigley saw Catalina as a tourist mecca where
visitors could experience the unspoiled splendor of the island.
The atmosphere that visitors to Avalon and Catalina enjoy today
can be traced back to the policies set in motion by Wrigley. In
the mid-1970s, Wrigley's Santa Catalina Island Co. transferred
to Los Angeles County 41,000 acres of land primarily for park
usage. The one condition was that it remain under the control of
the Santa Catalina Island Conservancy, which manages the bulk of
the land today.
Port Briefing: Catalina
By Harry Martin
August 10, 2004
"Twenty six miles across the sea
"Santa Catalina is a-waiting for me
"Santa Catalina, the island of
"Romance, romance, romance, romance."
Immortalized by the Four Preps tune from the 1950s, Catalina
Island continues to woo lovers – and cruisers – year-round. As a
stop on four-night Baja cruises offered by Royal Caribbean and
Carnival from Long Beach/San Pedro, the town of Avalon offers
visitors plenty of ways to enjoy the scenic splendor of the
island and relish its temperate Mediterranean climate.
Located 22 miles off the coast of Los Angeles, the resort
destination began as a Mexican land grant. Over the years, Santa
Catalina passed among a variety of ranchers and entrepreneurs
until chewing gum magnate William Wrigley took controlling
interest in 1919. Wrigley saw Catalina as a tourist mecca where
visitors could experience the unspoiled splendor of the island.
The atmosphere that visitors to Avalon and Catalina enjoy today
can be traced back to the policies set in motion by Wrigley. In
the mid-1970s, Wrigley's Santa Catalina Island Co. transferred
to Los Angeles County 41,000 acres of land primarily for park
usage. The one condition was that it remain under the control of
the Santa Catalina Island Conservancy, which manages the bulk of
the land today.
Article continues below
Due to that edict, cruisers today experience the charm of Avalon
(population about 3,500), and revel in the scenic beauty of the
verdant mountains and hillsides that surround the village.
Monarch in port
Passengers aboard RCCL's Monarch of the Seas or Carnival's
Ecstasy (or Paradise starting in September 2004) awake to
beautiful vistas of the island. Avalon's harbor is not deep
enough for cruise ships, so visitors are tendered to Avalon.
(Cruise tip: Board the tenders prior to 10 a.m. or later in the
afternoon to avoid delays.)
Casino
Standing on deck, you'll see many boats and yachts bobbing in
the Avalon harbor, but it's the towering Casino that is the most
recognized symbol of Catalina. Completed in 1929 by Wrigley, the
mammoth structure's Art Deco design harks back to the Big Band
era. But the grand hall was not a gambling house. In reality,
"Casino" roughly translates from Italian to "gathering place,"
and up to 6,000 dancers would do just that when bands led by
such greats as Woody Herman and Tommy Dorsey played there.
Today, tours of the building are offered daily for $13.50 for
adults and $6.75 for children. Visitors will also see the
beautiful Art Deco Avalon Theatre (housed beneath the ballroom),
with its fabulous murals by John Gabriel Beckham and 4,500
square feet of black walnut gracing the lobby. The Casino tour
entitles participants to free admission to the Catalina Museum
alongside the Casino.
But that's not the only tour available. Most excursions are
easily booked on your own in town through two local operators –
California Adventure Tours and Discovery Tours. Both maintain
booths on the Green Pleasure Pier in the center of town. (This
is also the pier where Carnival guests disembark from the
tenders. RCCL drops its passengers a short walk from town at the
ferry landing, where both tour operators also staff excursion
kiosks.)
Avalon Harbor
One of the most popular is the hour-long Avalon Scenic Tour,
priced at $13.50 for adults and $6.75 for children. Aboard a
breezy tram-style bus, visitors wind their way above Avalon
while the guide explains the sights. This is a good tour for
those with mobility problems.
Another popular diversion is the Inland Motor Tour, a 28-mile
trip into the back country. Stops include the
Airport-in-the-Sky, as well as forays into the more natural
canyon settings where buffalo still roam freely; they were
brought to the island as props for the filming of the 1920s
movie "The Vanishing American." Scenes from "Mutiny on the
Bounty" were also shot around Catalina. Cost of this tour is
$49.50 for adults and $24.75 for children. This is nearly a
four-hour excursion.
Cottages
To experience the marine side of Catalina, you can try the glass
bottom boat tour, in which you'll view sea life in Lover's Cove.
The tour costs $12.75 for adults and $8 for kids, and a special
tube allows guests to feed the fish directly. Those wishing to
go even deeper can take the Nautilus semi-submersible sub tours
of the bay -- $35 for adults and $18 for children – where
tourists can shoot food "torpedoes" to entice the fish to come
closer.
Manufactured
Cottage
Or you can forego an organized excursion and explore on foot
through the charming streets of Avalon (many permit no vehicular
traffic) to take in the shops, eateries and cocktail lounges
along Crescent, or off on side streets. About two blocks from
the marina, you'll come across quaint lanes lined with beach
cottages boasting a variety of quirky exteriors. Many of the
narrower homes – about 20 feet wide -- were manufactured housing
brought to the island in the 1920s as weekend retreats.
As you make your way through the streets of Avalon, one sight
will be a rarity – the automobile. There is a 15-year waiting
list to bring vehicles onto the island, so the primary transport
is the omnipresent golf cart. Some permanent residents take
great pains to show their individuality, with Rolls Royce-style
radiators or sporty paint jobs on their carts.
You can be like the natives by renting a golf cart to tour the
island. This is a great way to see the sights of Avalon at your
own speed. The largest rental company on the island is Catalina
Auto and Bike Rentals, with a kiosk at Crescent and Metropole,
just where Crescent opens to vehicular traffic. A four-seat
model costs $30 an hour, while a 6-seater runs $45, plus
deposit. Only cash or traveler's checks are accepted as payment.
Drivers will get a map of the island with a suggested route that
includes:
A brief stop at the Casino. Be sure and see the murals outside
the box office.
The Zane Grey home, now known as the Pueblo Hotel, built in 1926
by the author known for his Western novels.
The Chimes Tower, presented as a gift to Avalon by Wrigley's
wife, Ada, in the 1920s. Its bells can be heard on the quarter
of the hour throughout Avalon.
Catalina Golf Course
The Catalina Golf Course, the oldest west of the Rockies. The
9-hole links provide duffers scenic views of the hillsides and
trees. The nearby Catalina Country Club features a plaque in the
field, noting this was the site where Wrigley brought his
Chicago Cubs for 30 years for spring training.
Bird Park
The former Bird Park. A quick stop here allows visitors to see
beautiful examples of artwork completed with Catalina Tile. The
nearby aviary – now used as a daycare center and thus sans
feathered creatures – was once the dance pavilion along the
shore of Avalon before it was moved here.
Wrigley Memorial
Wrigley Botanical Gardens, with examples of native plants on the
island. Park here and with the $3 admission for adults (children
are free) you can make your way through the fauna up a gentle
incline.
Wrigley Memorial, at the end of the Botanical Gardens.
Botanical Gardens
Ada supervised the construction of the striking monument after
Wrigley's death in 1932. Built from 1933-1934, the imposing
structure boasts a sweeping flagstone staircase, mosaics
composed of Catalina tile, and marble sarcophaguses for Wrigley
and Ada. Wrigley's entombment site still bears his name;
however, he was moved during World War II to Forest Lawn
Glendale due to security concerns. Ada was never interred in her
sarcophagus, and also rests in Glendale. The walk to the
monument is worth the climb for its scenic views down the
canyon, out to vistas of the cruise ship lying just off Avalon.
After returning the golf cart, tourists may linger in town for a
quick bite or drink. At Vons grocery store on Metropole, one
block from Crescent, you can stock up on bottled water or other
provisions for the cabin before making your way back to the
tender.
Certainly after spending a day in lovely Avalon and watching its
beauty as the tender returns to the ship, you will recall the
tune again – Catalina is, indeed, the island of romance.
