Wrigley Memorial & Botanic Garden
Santa Catalina Island
Avalon, CA
310-510-2897
http://www.catalinaconservancy.org/index.php?s=visit&p=wrigley_memorial_and_botanic_garden
Daily: 8a-5p
Admission Booth services available from 9 am to 4 pm daily except major holidays.
Closed major holidays
Adults $5
Seniors 60+ $3
Children <12, Conservancy Members Free
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 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 Santa 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 Botanic 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 GARDEN
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. Santa 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.
Contact the Conservancy for latest information.
Showing posts with label catalina. Show all posts
Showing posts with label catalina. Show all posts
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Nature Center at Avalon Canyon, Avalon
Nature Center at Avalon Canyon
1202 Avalon Canyon Road
Avalon, CA
310-510-0954
http://www.catalinaconservancy.org/index.php?s=visit&p=nature_center_at_avalon_canyon
Summer Hours (Memorial Day to Labor Day): Daily: 10a-4p
Winter Hours: Fri-Weds: 10a-4p
FREE admission
The Nature Center at Avalon Canyon is a twenty-minute stroll up Avalon Canyon from town center. Its close proximity to the Wrigley Memorial & Botanic Garden and the Hermit Gulch Trail Head make this a perfect place to start your visit to Catalina.
The Nature Center features self-guided exhibits focusing on natural history and conservation efforts on the Island. There are hands-on activities for kids, videos, and a Resource Center.
The Center’s exhibit is titled, “PURE Catalina,” “PURE” an acronym for “Protect,” “Understand,” “Renew” and “Explore” form the exhibit sections.
In the Nature Center’s lobby, images of the scenic wild side of the Island welcome visitors, including rugged landscapes and secluded coves with their crystal waters. An array of exhibit panels framed in “islands” made of natural materials will introduce visitors to Catalina’s natural wonders and the Conservancy’s conservation programs.
Visitors learn about everything from the geology of the Channel Islands, to how species arrive on islands. The concepts of “biodiversity hotspots” (of which there are 200 in the world) are explored, and why Catalina is part of the one that stretches along the West Coast of the United States.
Contact the Conservancy for latest information.
1202 Avalon Canyon Road
Avalon, CA
310-510-0954
http://www.catalinaconservancy.org/index.php?s=visit&p=nature_center_at_avalon_canyon
Summer Hours (Memorial Day to Labor Day): Daily: 10a-4p
Winter Hours: Fri-Weds: 10a-4p
FREE admission
The Nature Center at Avalon Canyon is a twenty-minute stroll up Avalon Canyon from town center. Its close proximity to the Wrigley Memorial & Botanic Garden and the Hermit Gulch Trail Head make this a perfect place to start your visit to Catalina.
The Nature Center features self-guided exhibits focusing on natural history and conservation efforts on the Island. There are hands-on activities for kids, videos, and a Resource Center.
The Center’s exhibit is titled, “PURE Catalina,” “PURE” an acronym for “Protect,” “Understand,” “Renew” and “Explore” form the exhibit sections.
In the Nature Center’s lobby, images of the scenic wild side of the Island welcome visitors, including rugged landscapes and secluded coves with their crystal waters. An array of exhibit panels framed in “islands” made of natural materials will introduce visitors to Catalina’s natural wonders and the Conservancy’s conservation programs.
Visitors learn about everything from the geology of the Channel Islands, to how species arrive on islands. The concepts of “biodiversity hotspots” (of which there are 200 in the world) are explored, and why Catalina is part of the one that stretches along the West Coast of the United States.
Contact the Conservancy for latest information.
Nature Center at the Airport in the Sky, Catalina
Nature Center at the Airport in the Sky
Santa Catalina Island
http://www.catalinaconservancy.org/index.php?s=visit&p=nature_center_at_airport_in_the_sky
The Nature Center at the Airport in the Sky was founded to entertain and most importantly educate visitors, many of who have seen the Island from the air, but never had a chance to explore it for a closer look.
The outdoor exhibit on the west side of the Airport terminal, is one of the first things visitors who fly to the Island see when walking off the tarmac – presenting them a first look at the issues facing the Catalina Island Conservancy in Island conservation.
The Center’s “PURE” theme engages visitors in learning, exploring and becoming involved in the fulfillment of the mission of the Conservancy.
“Protect” highlights species that are found on Catalina and nowhere else in the world, such as the Catalina Island fox, Catalina shrew, Catalina Mahogany and Saint Catherine’s lace.
“Understand” emphasizes the distribution and abundance of Catalina’s plant communities and wildlife populations, with a focus on the impacts of fire and overgrazing.
“Renew” gives visitors an idea of how the Conservancy is restoring endangered or threatened plants, wildlife and habitats.
“Explore” allows visitors to appreciate the Conservancy’s efforts to keep the Island’s interior a choice destination for tens of thousands of hikers, bikers, backpackers and young people every year, who have come to love the interior’s rugged beauty
Popular with visitors to the Nature Center is the Catalina history timeline featuring life-sized cutouts of the types of individuals who have inhabited the Island’s history from the original inhabitants, the Tongva from at least 6, 800 years ago; to Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo who discovered Catalina in 1542; to the cowboys, miners, and even a “bathing beauty” from the 1880’s when the Island first became a recreational haven for yachters and sports fishermen.
Another popular exhibit is the inspiring, multi-dimensional mural by artist Eve Templeton’s of the Island’s native fauna. Depicted are a family of Catalina quail, sharing the same underbrush as a rattlesnake and a field mouse. As a bald eagle soars above, a grasshopper suns himself and a frog gains a foothold on an oak. Another eagle watches the proceedings from a safe perch while a woodpecker sets to work on a dead tree.
And there is the awe-inspiring 40-foot long, and 28-foot wide tile map of Catalina.
Also at the Airport in the Sky is the DC-3 Gifts & Grill restaurant, famed for its buffalo burgers. You can also get regular beef, chicken, and vegetarian burgers, other sandwiches, and Mexican specialties (including buffalo tacos). During the summer, don't miss out on the Grill's Barbecue's featuring live music from Island band Hot off the Range. Call (310) 510-2196 for reservations.
Contact the Conservancy for latest information.
Santa Catalina Island
http://www.catalinaconservancy.org/index.php?s=visit&p=nature_center_at_airport_in_the_sky
The Nature Center at the Airport in the Sky was founded to entertain and most importantly educate visitors, many of who have seen the Island from the air, but never had a chance to explore it for a closer look.
The outdoor exhibit on the west side of the Airport terminal, is one of the first things visitors who fly to the Island see when walking off the tarmac – presenting them a first look at the issues facing the Catalina Island Conservancy in Island conservation.
The Center’s “PURE” theme engages visitors in learning, exploring and becoming involved in the fulfillment of the mission of the Conservancy.
“Protect” highlights species that are found on Catalina and nowhere else in the world, such as the Catalina Island fox, Catalina shrew, Catalina Mahogany and Saint Catherine’s lace.
“Understand” emphasizes the distribution and abundance of Catalina’s plant communities and wildlife populations, with a focus on the impacts of fire and overgrazing.
“Renew” gives visitors an idea of how the Conservancy is restoring endangered or threatened plants, wildlife and habitats.
“Explore” allows visitors to appreciate the Conservancy’s efforts to keep the Island’s interior a choice destination for tens of thousands of hikers, bikers, backpackers and young people every year, who have come to love the interior’s rugged beauty
Popular with visitors to the Nature Center is the Catalina history timeline featuring life-sized cutouts of the types of individuals who have inhabited the Island’s history from the original inhabitants, the Tongva from at least 6, 800 years ago; to Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo who discovered Catalina in 1542; to the cowboys, miners, and even a “bathing beauty” from the 1880’s when the Island first became a recreational haven for yachters and sports fishermen.
Another popular exhibit is the inspiring, multi-dimensional mural by artist Eve Templeton’s of the Island’s native fauna. Depicted are a family of Catalina quail, sharing the same underbrush as a rattlesnake and a field mouse. As a bald eagle soars above, a grasshopper suns himself and a frog gains a foothold on an oak. Another eagle watches the proceedings from a safe perch while a woodpecker sets to work on a dead tree.
And there is the awe-inspiring 40-foot long, and 28-foot wide tile map of Catalina.
Also at the Airport in the Sky is the DC-3 Gifts & Grill restaurant, famed for its buffalo burgers. You can also get regular beef, chicken, and vegetarian burgers, other sandwiches, and Mexican specialties (including buffalo tacos). During the summer, don't miss out on the Grill's Barbecue's featuring live music from Island band Hot off the Range. Call (310) 510-2196 for reservations.
Contact the Conservancy for latest information.
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Eagle's Nest Lodge, Catalina
Eagle's Nest Lodge
Santa Catalina Island
http://www.catalinaconservancy.org/index.php?s=visit&p=eagles_nest_lodge
This historical landmark is located in the remote interior of the island. The Lodge is available for viewing by a Jeep® Eco Tour booked through the Catalina Island Conservancy.
In the middle of the 1800s, California was one of the last western frontiers - and Catalina Island was one of the most harshest. Dozens of rugged men and women braved the ocean crossing to establish cattle ranches. Hundreds of other came with their hopes and hard work to mine or to work in the quarries. Others came to fish commercially. And with them came the primary means of transportation throughout the 76 square miles of the Island, the stagecoach - an icon of early California. The stagecoach played as important a part of California history on the Island as it did on the mainland.
Whether the travel was from Wild Boar Gully, Blackjack Junction, or Shark Harbor, the place for stagecoach drivers to change their tired horses for fresh ones, and a place for overnight accommodations was Eagle's Nest Lodge. And eventually, when the beauty and excitement of the Island became known, thousands of curious visitors began arriving, and the stagecoach and Eagles's Nest Lodge became a permanent part of Catalina history.
Over the years, Eagle's Nest Lodge was also used as a hunting lodge until 1942 when the U.S. military took control of the Island during World War II. After the war, the Lodge was a stop on a motor tour of the Island until a storm washed out the access road in 1994. The building, now old and showing ravages of time, has been unused ever since.
Contact the Conservancy for latest information.
Santa Catalina Island
http://www.catalinaconservancy.org/index.php?s=visit&p=eagles_nest_lodge
This historical landmark is located in the remote interior of the island. The Lodge is available for viewing by a Jeep® Eco Tour booked through the Catalina Island Conservancy.
In the middle of the 1800s, California was one of the last western frontiers - and Catalina Island was one of the most harshest. Dozens of rugged men and women braved the ocean crossing to establish cattle ranches. Hundreds of other came with their hopes and hard work to mine or to work in the quarries. Others came to fish commercially. And with them came the primary means of transportation throughout the 76 square miles of the Island, the stagecoach - an icon of early California. The stagecoach played as important a part of California history on the Island as it did on the mainland.
Whether the travel was from Wild Boar Gully, Blackjack Junction, or Shark Harbor, the place for stagecoach drivers to change their tired horses for fresh ones, and a place for overnight accommodations was Eagle's Nest Lodge. And eventually, when the beauty and excitement of the Island became known, thousands of curious visitors began arriving, and the stagecoach and Eagles's Nest Lodge became a permanent part of Catalina history.
Over the years, Eagle's Nest Lodge was also used as a hunting lodge until 1942 when the U.S. military took control of the Island during World War II. After the war, the Lodge was a stop on a motor tour of the Island until a storm washed out the access road in 1994. The building, now old and showing ravages of time, has been unused ever since.
Contact the Conservancy for latest information.
Friday, December 31, 2010
Catalina Island Museum, Avalon
Catalina Island Museum
On the ground floor of the world-famous Casino Building. The entrance is across from the Casino Dock Café and faces Avalon Bay.
310-510-2414
http://www.catalinamuseum.org/
CURRENTLY BEING RENOVATED. SCHEDULED TO REOPEN IN FEB 2011.
Winter Hours(January – March): Fri-Weds: 10a-4p
Regular Hours(April – December): Daily: 10a-4p
Closed Thanksgiving and Christmas Day
Adults $5
Seniors $4
Children (6-15) $2
Children <6 Free
The Museum celebrates the Island’s rich cultural heritage with many fun and informative exhibits. Current exhibits include an award-winning exhibit featuring the romantic era of Catalina’s steamships, Native Americans, a relief map of the Island from the 1934 World’s Fair in Chicago, a floor-to-ceiling display case showcasing our amazing Catalina Island pottery and tile, the Birth of Sportfishing, Chicago Cubs spring training, Catalina’s role in WWII and much more!
The Museum’s collections, comprised of historical and cultural items from and about Santa Catalina Island, support the Museum's mission by fostering awareness and appreciation of our island’s heritage through their use in research, exhibitions and educational programs. Over the years the Museum has built collections, primarily through donations, which can be divided into the areas of history, archaeology and research archives. The collections, totaling approximately 150,000 items, fall into the following categories: archaeology, photographs, ephemera, newspapers, archives, postcards, three-dimensional historical collections, natural history, library, oral history, audio/visual and art.
The Museum also offers exciting events and programs throughout the year, such as the annual Silent Film Benefit, docent-led tours, school programs, lectures, Open House at the Inn on Mt. Ada, live Telethon (broadcast locally and online) and more.
Contact the museum for its latest information.
On the ground floor of the world-famous Casino Building. The entrance is across from the Casino Dock Café and faces Avalon Bay.
310-510-2414
http://www.catalinamuseum.org/
CURRENTLY BEING RENOVATED. SCHEDULED TO REOPEN IN FEB 2011.
Winter Hours(January – March): Fri-Weds: 10a-4p
Regular Hours(April – December): Daily: 10a-4p
Closed Thanksgiving and Christmas Day
Adults $5
Seniors $4
Children (6-15) $2
Children <6 Free
The Museum celebrates the Island’s rich cultural heritage with many fun and informative exhibits. Current exhibits include an award-winning exhibit featuring the romantic era of Catalina’s steamships, Native Americans, a relief map of the Island from the 1934 World’s Fair in Chicago, a floor-to-ceiling display case showcasing our amazing Catalina Island pottery and tile, the Birth of Sportfishing, Chicago Cubs spring training, Catalina’s role in WWII and much more!
The Museum’s collections, comprised of historical and cultural items from and about Santa Catalina Island, support the Museum's mission by fostering awareness and appreciation of our island’s heritage through their use in research, exhibitions and educational programs. Over the years the Museum has built collections, primarily through donations, which can be divided into the areas of history, archaeology and research archives. The collections, totaling approximately 150,000 items, fall into the following categories: archaeology, photographs, ephemera, newspapers, archives, postcards, three-dimensional historical collections, natural history, library, oral history, audio/visual and art.
The Museum also offers exciting events and programs throughout the year, such as the annual Silent Film Benefit, docent-led tours, school programs, lectures, Open House at the Inn on Mt. Ada, live Telethon (broadcast locally and online) and more.
Contact the museum for its latest information.
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