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Avalon is the only incorporated city on Santa Catalina Island, in the California Channel Islands, and the southernmost city in Los Angeles County. The city is a resort community with the waterfront dominated by
tourism Tourism is travel for pleasure or business; also the theory and practice of touring (disambiguation), touring, the business of attracting, accommodating, and entertaining tourists, and the business of operating tour (disambiguation), tours. Th ...
-oriented businesses. The older parts of the town on the valley floor consist primarily of small houses and two and three-story buildings in various traditional architectural styles. In 1919,
William Wrigley Jr. William Mills Wrigley Jr. (September 30, 1861 – January 26, 1932) was an American chewing gum industrialist. He was founder of the Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company in 1891. Biography William Mills Wrigley Jr. was born in Philadelphia, Penns ...
gained control of Avalon and oversaw much of the development of Avalon, including the construction of the landmark Catalina Casino. From the late 19th century to the early 20th century, several different developers tried to develop Avalon into a resort destination community, but most before Wrigley went bankrupt. The population was 3,728 at the 2010 census. Avalon attracts about 1 million visitors a year and is frequently visited by cruise ships. Before European colonization, the island was inhabited by the
Tongva The Tongva ( ) are an Indigenous people of California from the Los Angeles Basin and the Southern Channel Islands, an area covering approximately . Some descendants of the people prefer Kizh as an endonym that, they argue, is more historically ...
people.


History

Prior to the modern era, Avalon Bay was inhabited by people of the Gabrielino/Tongva tribe. The island was a major source of
soapstone Soapstone (also known as steatite or soaprock) is a talc-schist, which is a type of metamorphic rock. It is composed largely of the magnesium rich mineral talc. It is produced by dynamothermal metamorphism and metasomatism, which occur in the ...
to the Tongva, who used the material to make stone vessels for cooking. The Tongva called the island ''Pimu'' or ''Pimugna'' and referred to themselves as the ''Pimugnans''. However, by the 1830s, the entire island's native population had either died off, or had undergone forcible relocation to the mainland to work in the missions or as ranch hands for the many private land owners. In the 1860s, German immigrant Augustus William Timms ran a sheep herding business on Catalina Island. One of his vessels, the ''Rosita'', would also ferry pleasure seekers across the channel to Avalon Bay for bathing and fishing. The settlement in Avalon was then referred to as Timms's Landing in his honor. By the summer of 1883, there were thirty tents and three wooden buildings at Timms's Landing. The first owner to try to develop Avalon Bay into a resort destination was George Shatto, a real estate speculator from Grand Rapids, Michigan. Shatto purchased the island for $200,000 from the estate of James Lick at the height of a
real estate Real estate is property consisting of land and the buildings on it, along with its natural resources such as crops, minerals or water; immovable property of this nature; an interest vested in this (also) an item of real property, (more genera ...
boom in
Southern California Southern California (commonly shortened to SoCal) is a geographic and Cultural area, cultural region that generally comprises the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. It includes the Los Angeles metropolitan area, the second most po ...
in 1887. Shatto created the settlement that would become Avalon, and can be credited with building the town's first hotel, the original Hotel Metropole, and pier. Though early maps labeled the town ''Shatto'', Shatto's sister-in-law Etta Whitney came up with the permanent name of ''Avalon'' in reference from a poem by Lord Tennyson called "
Idylls of the King ''Idylls of the King'', published between 1859 and 1885, is a cycle of twelve narrative poems by the English poet Alfred, Lord Tennyson (1809–1892; Poet Laureate from 1850) which retells the legend of King Arthur, his knights, his love f ...
" about the legend of
King Arthur King Arthur ( cy, Brenin Arthur, kw, Arthur Gernow, br, Roue Arzhur) is a legendary king of Britain, and a central figure in the medieval literary tradition known as the Matter of Britain. In the earliest traditions, Arthur appears as ...
(which features an island of the same name). Shatto laid out Avalon's streets, and introduced it as a vacation destination to the general public. Despite Shatto's efforts, in a few years he had to default on his loan and the island went back to the Lick estate. The sons of
Phineas Banning Phineas Banning (August 19, 1830 – March 8, 1885) was an American businessman, financier and entrepreneur. Known as "The Father of the Port of Los Angeles," he was one of the founders of the town of Wilmington, in Los Angeles County, Californ ...
bought the island in 1891 from the Lick estate and established the Santa Catalina Island Company to develop it as a resort. The Banning brothers fulfilled Shatto's dream of making Avalon a resort community. They built a dance pavilion in the center of town, made additions to the Hotel Metropole and steamer-wharf, built an aquarium, and created the Pilgrim Club (a gambling club for men only). Just as the Bannings were anticipating the construction of a new, Hotel Saint Catherine, their efforts were set back on November 29, 1915, when a fire burned half of Avalon's buildings, including six hotels and several clubs. In 1919, due to debt related to the 1915 fire and a general decline in tourism during World War I, the Bannings were forced to sell the island in shares. In February 1919, chewing gum magnate William Wrigley, Jr. bought a controlling interest in Santa Catalina Island and its associated properties from the Banning Brothers. Wrigley devoted himself to preserving and promoting it, investing millions in needed infrastructure and attractions, including the construction of the new Catalina Casino, completed May 29, 1929. In order to encourage growth, Wrigley purchased additional steamships to service Avalon, including the SS ''Virginia'' (renamed the SS ''Avalon'') and the SS ''Catalina'' which was launched on the morning of May 3, 1924. Wrigley also brought attention to the town of Avalon by having his
Chicago Cubs The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The Cubs compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as part of the National League (NL) Central division. The club plays its home games at Wrigley Field, which is loca ...
use the island for the team's spring training from 1921 to 1951, absent the war years of 1942–45. The ball field was at the southwest border of Avalon, between Tremont Street and the golf course. Following the death of William Wrigley, Jr. in 1932, his son Philip K. Wrigley took over the Santa Catalina Island Company. Philip continued his father's work in the improvement of the infrastructure of the City of Avalon. During World War II, the island was closed to tourists and used for military training facilities, including a U.S. Maritime Service training facility in Avalon. Catalina's steamships were expropriated for use as troop transports, and the U.S. Maritime Service set up a training facility in Avalon. The Maritime Service announced on September 19, 1945, that the facility would soon be abandoned and all apprentice seaman on the west coast trained aboard three ocean-going vessels at
Long Beach Long Beach is a city in Los Angeles County, California. It is the 42nd-most populous city in the United States, with a population of 466,742 as of 2020. A charter city, Long Beach is the seventh-most populous city in California. Incorporated ...
. In 1975, Philip Wrigley deeded the Wrigley shares in the Santa Catalina Island Company to the
Catalina Island Conservancy The Catalina Island Conservancy is a nonprofit organization established to protect and restore Santa Catalina Island, California, United States. The Conservancy was established in 1972 through the efforts of the Wrigley and Offield families. The ...
that he had helped create. The Conservancy now stewards 88 percent of the island, primarily outside of the City of Avalon. The Santa Catalina Island Company maintains control of much of its resort properties and operations within the City of Avalon. It still owns and operates many of the main tourist attractions in Avalon, including the Catalina Visitors Country Club, Catalina Island Golf Course, Descanso Beach Club and the Casino Ballroom. In May 2007, the Island Fire burned of land just outside Avalon's city limits. Over 200 firefighting recruits were brought over by U.S. Marine hovercraft and
helicopter A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by horizontally spinning rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forward, backward and laterally. These attribute ...
to protect the city. Ultimately, only one residence and six commercial structures were destroyed. In February 2011, water regulators cited the city for letting tens of thousands of gallons of sewage reach the ocean in six spills since 2005. A report in June 2011 by the Natural Resources Defense Council listed Avalon as having one of the 10 most chronically polluted beaches in the United States. The pollution was caused by the city's sewer system, made of century-old clay and metal pipes. By 2011, the city had spent $3.5 million testing and rehabilitating sewer lines, but the water was no cleaner. In February 2012, a cease and desist order was issued against the city for illegally discharging polluted water into the bay. After the cease and desist order, the city invested an additional $5.7 million on sewer main improvements and inspection and tracking systems. As a result of these efforts, the 2014 report showed that water quality had improved, and Avalon Beach was removed from the list of the most polluted beaches. In the 2010s, the Santa Catalina Island Company began a series of projects to upgrade the tourist amenities in Avalon, including the installation of a zip line at Descanso Beach. By 2014, the Santa Catalina Island Company was working on a number of redevelopment and remodeling projects, including a spa, aquatic facility, community center, new hotel, and 120 new homes. The largest project was a new $6-million museum building on Metropole Street to replace the old location in the Casino building. Some community members, including a member of the City Council, expressed concerns about the pace of the changes to the town.


Geography

Avalon is located on Santa Catalina Island, approximately south-by-southwest of the Los Angeles Harbor breakwater. It is the only incorporated city to be located on one of the eight
Channel Islands of California The Channel Islands () are an eight-island archipelago located within the Southern California Bight in the Pacific Ocean, off the coast of California. The four Northern Channel Islands are part of the Transverse Ranges geologic province, a ...
. Due to its location on Catalina Island, it is the southernmost city in Los Angeles County. According to the
United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of th ...
, the city has a total area of on land and on water.


Cityscape

The City of Avalon is oriented around Avalon Bay, with the harbor and beaches forming the center of the town's activity. The Cabrillo Mole, located at the south end of the harbor, acts both as a breakwater and the main docks for the cross-channel passenger boats. Many of the commercial businesses dedicated to serving visitors are located along the Crescent Street
pedestrian mall Pedestrian zones (also known as auto-free zones and car-free zones, as pedestrian precincts in British English, and as pedestrian malls in the United States and Australia) are areas of a city or town reserved for pedestrian-only use and in whi ...
, which runs just behind the three main beaches of Avalon Bay. The pedestrian walkway is adorned throughout with decorative pavers, fountains, palm trees, and a decorative serpentine seawall. Many of these features were introduced to Avalon during an extensive re-design undertaken by Philip K. Wrigley in 1934. Extending out into the center of the harbor is the green Pleasure Pier. The north end of the harbor is dominated by the Catalina Casino. Built in a style described as a cross between
Art Deco Art Deco, short for the French ''Arts Décoratifs'', and sometimes just called Deco, is a style of visual arts, architecture, and product design, that first appeared in France in the 1910s (just before World War I), and flourished in the Unite ...
and Mediterranean Revival, the Casino serves as Avalon's most distinctive landmark. Outside of the bay and just north of the Casino is Descanso Beach, a private beach, entertainment and meetings venue run by the Santa Catalina Island Company. At the farthest north end of town are the Hamilton Cove condominiums, a gated community consisting mostly of second homes. South of the bay is Lovers Cove dive park, a marine reserve frequented by both snorkelers and the classic glass-bottom boat tours. Further south still is Pebbly Beach, an industrial area home to the Pebbly Beach Seaplane Base & Heliport and Pebbly Beach Generating Station, where Avalon gets its power. Most of the residential units in Avalon are tucked away off of the beachfront, either in the flat lands further back into the canyon or on the hills that constitute the sides of Avalon Valley. Many of the major municipal amenities are located even further into the canyon, including City Hall, the fire station, the Catalina Island Medical Center, and Avalon Schools. The William Wrigley Jr. Summer Cottage, also known as Mount Ada, is now a hotel. The Wrigley Memorial and Botanical Gardens are located at the farthest end of town away from the bay. The Memorial prominently features native Catalina Island building materials, including the famous pottery and tile that were made on the island from 1927 through 1937.


Climate

Avalon has a very mild warm-summer
Mediterranean climate A Mediterranean climate (also called a dry summer temperate climate ''Cs'') is a temperate climate sub-type, generally characterized by warm, dry summers and mild, fairly wet winters; these weather conditions are typically experienced in the ...
''Csb'', with mild temperatures year-round. The National Weather Service maintained a cooperative station at the Avalon Pleasure Pier from 1909 through 1988. Average January temperatures are a maximum of and a minimum of and average August temperatures are a maximum of and a minimum of . The highest recorded temperature was on July 6, 2018, during a major Southern California heatwave, and the lowest recorded temperature was on January 2, 1973. Annual average precipitation is and there are 34 days with measurable precipitation. The wettest year was 1983 with and the driest year was 1953 with . The most rainfall in one month was in May 1921. The most rainfall in 24 hours was on October 22, 1941. Weather records are still maintained at the Santa Catalina airport.


Demographics


2010

The
2010 United States Census The United States census of 2010 was the twenty-third United States national census. National Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2010. The census was taken via mail-in citizen self-reporting, with enumerators servi ...
reported that Avalon had a population of 3,728. The population density was . The racial makeup of Avalon was 2,313 (62.0%)
White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White o ...
(41.1% Non-Hispanic White), 20 (0.5%)
African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ensl ...
, 22 (0.6%) Native American, 49 (1.3%) Asian, 13 (0.3%) Pacific Islander, 1,137 (30.5%) from
other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...
, and 174 (4.7%) from two or more races.
Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties form ...
or Latino of any race were 2,079 persons (55.8%). The Census reported that 3,721 people (99.8% of the population) lived in households, 0 (0%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 7 (0.2%) were institutionalized. There were 1,473 households, out of which 488 (33.1%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 641 (43.5%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 160 (10.9%) had a female householder with no husband present, 90 (6.1%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 110 (7.5%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 5 (0.3%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 461 households (31.3%) were made up of individuals, and 125 (8.5%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53. There were 891
families Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Ideal ...
(60.5% of all households); the average family size was 3.25. The population was spread out, with 960 people (25.8%) under the age of 18, 316 people (8.5%) aged 18 to 24, 953 people (25.6%) aged 25 to 44, 1,093 people (29.3%) aged 45 to 64, and 406 people (10.9%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37.7 years. For every 100 females, there were 102.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.6 males. There were 2,266 housing units at an average density of , of which 383 (26.0%) were owner-occupied, and 1,090 (74.0%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 4.7%; the rental vacancy rate was 10.7%. 801 people (21.5% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 2,920 people (78.3%) lived in rental housing units. According to the 2010 United States Census, Avalon had a median household income of $65,433, with 12.5% of the population living below the federal poverty line.


2000

As of the
census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses inc ...
of 2000, there were 3,127 people, 1,158 households, and 719 families residing in the city. The
population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberP ...
was 1,112.4 inhabitants per square mile (429.7/km2). There were 1,839 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 71.6%
White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White o ...
, 0.7% Black, 1.0% Native American, 0.6% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 20.4% from
other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...
, and 5.4% from two or more races. 46.0% of the population were
Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties form ...
or Latino of any race. There were 1,158 households, out of which 38.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.0% were
married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...
living together, 11.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.9% were non-families. 31.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.65 and the average family size was 3.38. In the city, the population was spread out, with 30.3% under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 30.2% from 25 to 44, 21.7% from 45 to 64, and 10.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.2 males. The median income for a household in the city was $39,327, and the median income for a family was $46,406. Males had a median income of $30,789 versus $24,643 for females. The
per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...
for the city was $21,032. About 9.2% of families and 10.4% of the population were below the
poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...
, including 11.5% of those under age 18 and 4.6% of those age 65 or over.


Economy

Avalon is a resort community and has a primarily tourist-based economy. As of 2016, 38.4% of the employed population worked in the arts, entertainment, recreation, accommodation and food services industries. An additional 13% worked in retail trade and 7% in real estate, rental, and leasing. Other major sources of employment in Avalon included education and healthcare (8%), construction (3%), transportation and warehousing (9%), and other services except public administration (8%) Overall, there were a total of 202 establishments with a combined annual payroll of $90 million as of 2012. The Catalina Island Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau operates as the official Destination Marketing Agency for the island and hosts a Visitor Center open 364 days a year on the Green Pleasure Pier. The city's poverty rate is 14.0% and the number of families in poverty stands at 11.9%. The unemployment rate stood at 3.7% as of October 2014, compared to 7.9% in Los Angeles County as a whole.


Government

The municipal government of the City of Avalon is of the council–manager type. The Mayor is elected to serve a two-year term while the City Councilors are elected to four-year terms. The City Manager is the executive officer of the city and is appointed directly by the City Council. The new City Hall was completed June 8, 2004. It contains local government offices as well as the council chambers. In the California State Legislature, Avalon is located in , and in . Federally, Avalon is in . The
Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department (LASD), officially the County of Los Angeles Sheriff's Department, is a law enforcement agency serving Los Angeles County, California. LASD is the largest sheriff's department in the United States ...
(LASD) operates the Avalon Station in Avalon. Several deputies are stationed on the island full-time with additional units brought from the mainland on an as-needed and seasonal basis. The city has its own full-time and volunteer fire departments for incidents within the city limits, while the
Los Angeles County Fire Department The Los Angeles County Fire Department (LACoFD) provides firefighting services as well as technical rescue services, hazardous materials response services and emergency medical response services for the unincorporated parts of Los Angeles County ...
serves the rest of the island. The
Los Angeles County Department of Health Services Los Angeles County Department of Health Services (abbreviated DHS and LADHS) operates the public hospitals and clinics in Los Angeles County, and is the United States' second largest municipal health system, after NYC Health + Hospitals. DHS o ...
operates the Torrance Health Center in Harbor Gateway,
Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...
, near Torrance and serving Avalon. The
United States Postal Service The United States Postal Service (USPS), also known as the Post Office, U.S. Mail, or Postal Service, is an Independent agencies of the United States government, independent agency of the executive branch of the Federal government of the Uni ...
Avalon Post Office (ZIP 90704) is located at 118 Metropole Street.


Politics

Avalon, California has voted Democrat in the last four presidential elections, and has also displayed some independent leanings. In 2016, both
Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021. Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of P ...
and
Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton ( Rodham; born October 26, 1947) is an American politician, diplomat, and former lawyer who served as the 67th United States Secretary of State for President Barack Obama from 2009 to 2013, as a United States senat ...
received a lower percentage of the vote than the previous nominees of their respective parties had received. In 1992, independent candidate Ross Perot carried the city with 323 votes to George H.W. Bush's 315.


Education

There are two
preschools A preschool, also known as nursery school, pre-primary school, or play school or creche, is an educational establishment or learning space offering early childhood education to children before they begin compulsory education at primary scho ...
within the City of Avalon, Catalina Kid Ventures and Pre-School Learning for Avalon Youth (P.L.A.Y.). Kid Ventures is located next to City Hall and is funded through the city support, tuition payments, and charitable donations. P.L.A.Y. is a
cooperative A cooperative (also known as co-operative, co-op, or coop) is "an autonomous association of persons united voluntarily to meet their common economic, social and cultural needs and aspirations through a jointly owned and democratically-contro ...
preschool that is tucked further back into the canyon at 4 Bird Park Canyon Road. It is located at the site of the former Bird Park, which itself was built from materials left over from the demolition of the original Sugarloaf Casino. For K-12 education, children attend Avalon School. Avalon Schools are part of the Long Beach Unified School District. It is divided into an elementary, middle, and high school, but a single principal administers all three levels of education. The campus is composed of three Mission Style buildings, a gymnasium, four secondary bungalows, and sixteen elementary bungalows. For high school sports, Avalon is a member of the
CIF Southern Section The California Interscholastic Federation-Southern Section (CIF-SS) is the governing body for high school athletics in most of Southern California and is the largest of the ten sections that comprise the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF ...
. The school mascot is the
Lancer A lancer was a type of cavalryman who fought with a lance. Lances were used for mounted warfare in Assyria as early as and subsequently by Persia, India, Egypt, China, Greece, and Rome. The weapon was widely used throughout Eurasia during the M ...
. The teams are referred to either as the "Avalon Lancers" or "Lancers". Home games are played in Avalon, and visiting teams must travel by boat to the island in order to make the games. In turn, the Lancers travel to the mainland for away games. Children in Avalon have one other option for elementary education. Children may also study at the private Avalon Christian School, located on 346 Catalina Avenue. Students then attend Avalon Schools for junior high and high school education. In 2014, LBUSD closed their long-time one-room school, Two Harbors Elementary School, at Two Harbors in unincorporated Los Angeles County, citing that just two 4th grade students remained within Two Harbors.


Transportation

The city is served by several high-speed passenger boats with daily services such as the Catalina Express to the
Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...
district of San Pedro, and to
Long Beach Long Beach is a city in Los Angeles County, California. It is the 42nd-most populous city in the United States, with a population of 466,742 as of 2020. A charter city, Long Beach is the seventh-most populous city in California. Incorporated ...
, and Dana Point. Daily service is also provided by the Catalina Flyer to
Newport Beach Newport Beach is a coastal city in South Orange County, California. Newport Beach is known for swimming and sandy beaches. Newport Harbor once supported maritime industries however today, it is used mostly for recreation. Balboa Island draws v ...
in Orange County. Private vessels that come to Avalon Harbor are assigned a mooring by the Avalon Harbor Patrol on a first-come, first-served basis. Boaters can get from their vessels to shore either by mooring their
dinghies A dinghy is a type of small boat, often carried or towed by a larger vessel for use as a tender. Utility dinghies are usually rowboats or have an outboard motor. Some are rigged for sailing but they differ from sailing dinghies, which ...
at one of the dinghy docks, or by catching a ride on a private shoreboat. Several
helicopter A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by horizontally spinning rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forward, backward and laterally. These attribute ...
companies serve the city, with most landing at the Pebbly Beach Heliport, located south of Avalon Bay. Small planes can also land at the Catalina Airport, known as the Airport in the Sky, located northwest of Avalon. Historically, during the early 1970s, scheduled passenger seaplane service was operated by Catalina Air Lines, a division of Golden West Airlines, between Avalon Harbor and both
Long Beach Airport Long Beach Airport is a public airport three miles northeast of downtown Long Beach, in Los Angeles County, California, United States. It is also called Daugherty Field, named after local aviator Earl Daugherty. The airport was an operating bas ...
and the Orange County Airport (now
John Wayne Airport John Wayne Airport is a commercial and general aviation airport that serves Orange County, California, and the Greater Los Angeles area. The airport is located in an unincorporated area of Orange County, and it is owned and operated by the cou ...
). Golden West Airlines also operated de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter
STOL A short takeoff and landing (STOL) aircraft is a conventional fixed-wing aircraft that has short runway requirements for takeoff and landing. Many STOL-designed aircraft also feature various arrangements for use on airstrips with harsh condit ...
turboprops with scheduled passenger service at this same time between Airport in the Sky and both
Los Angeles International Airport Los Angeles International Airport , commonly referred to as LAX (with each letter pronounced individually), is the primary international airport serving Los Angeles, California and its surrounding metropolitan area. LAX is located in the W ...
(
LAX Los Angeles International Airport , commonly referred to as LAX (with each letter pronounced individually), is the primary international airport serving Los Angeles, California and its surrounding metropolitan area. LAX is located in the W ...
) and
Long Beach Airport Long Beach Airport is a public airport three miles northeast of downtown Long Beach, in Los Angeles County, California, United States. It is also called Daugherty Field, named after local aviator Earl Daugherty. The airport was an operating bas ...
. The main method of transportation within the city is by small gasoline or electric powered motorcars referred to as "autoettes". These include numerous
golf carts A golf cart (alternatively known as a golf buggy or golf car) is a small motorized vehicle designed originally to carry two golfers and their golf clubs around a golf course with less effort than walking. Over time, variants were introduced t ...
and similarly sized vehicles. Vehicles under wide, long, and less than may qualify as an autoette. Any resident may acquire an autoette permit with the restriction of one permit per household. It is very difficult for a private citizen to get a permit to have a full-size vehicle in Avalon. The permit is issued to the individual as opposed to a specific vehicle, is surrendered when residency on the island ends, and is not transferable except through petition before the city council. Only one new vehicle permit is issued for every two permits that become ineligible to be renewed or are voluntarily surrendered. For purposes of vehicle registration, Catalina Island is divided into two classifications: within Avalon and "Interior" (areas outside the city limits). The city has its own strict permit program with which local vehicle owners must comply, in addition to the usual requirements imposed by the
California Department of Motor Vehicles The California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) is the state agency that registers motor vehicles and boats and issues driver licenses in the U.S. state of California. It regulates new car dealers (through the New Motor Vehicle Board), c ...
. Because of these restrictions, there is no regular vehicle ferry service for visitors to take their car to Avalon and the rest of Catalina Island. A taxi service is available to provide transportation in Avalon and throughout the island.


In popular culture

*The city was the inspiration for the
1920 Events January * January 1 ** Polish–Soviet War in 1920: The Russian Red Army increases its troops along the Polish border from 4 divisions to 20. ** Kauniainen, completely surrounded by the city of Espoo, secedes from Espoo as its own ...
popular song Avalon, sung by Al Jolson. *It is the port of embarkation for the narrator in the Crosby, Stills, & Nash song
Southern Cross Crux () is a constellation of the southern sky that is centred on four bright stars in a cross-shaped asterism commonly known as the Southern Cross. It lies on the southern end of the Milky Way's visible band. The name ''Crux'' is Latin for ...


Gallery

File:Avalon harbor with cactus.jpg, Overlooking the Avalon Harbor from the mountains above File:Historic Catalina Island Yacht Club and Casino from Avalon Harbor.jpg, Catalina Island Yacht Club in Avalon, est. 1924 File:View of Avalon Harbor from the Chimes Tower.jpg, Avalon Harbor from behind the Chimes Tower, est. 1925


References


External links

*
The Catalina Island Chamber of Commerce

The Santa Catalina Island Company
* {{Authority control Cities in Los Angeles County, California Santa Catalina Island (California) Populated coastal places in California Populated places established in 1913 1913 establishments in California Channel Islands of California Los Angeles Harbor Region Incorporated cities and towns in California