Avalon, or
Avalon Bay, is the only
incorporated cityA city is a relatively large and permanent settlement, particularly a large urban settlement. Although there is no agreement on technical definitions distinguishing a city from a town within general English language meanings, many cities have a particular administrative, legal, or historical status...
on
Santa Catalina IslandSanta Catalina Island, often called Catalina Island, or just Catalina, is a rocky island off the coast of the U.S. state of California. The island is 22 miles long and eight miles across at its greatest width. The island is located about 22 miles south-southwest of Los Angeles, California...
of the
California Channel IslandsThe Channel Islands of California are a chain of eight islands located in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Southern California along the Santa Barbara Channel in the United States of America...
. Besides Avalon, the only other center of population on the island is the small
unincorporatedIn law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality. To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city or town with its own government. Thus, an unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
town of
Two HarborsTwo Harbors, colloquially known as "The Isthmus", is a small unincorporated island village on Santa Catalina Island, California with a population of 298 . It is the second center of population on the island, besides the city of Avalon. It is mainly a resort village. It has only one restaurant, one...
.
Avalon was first settled in pre-modern times by members of the
Gabrielino/TongvaThe Tongva are a Native American people who inhabited the area in and around Los Angeles, California, before the arrival of Europeans. Tongva means "people of the earth" in the Tongva language, a language in the Uto-Aztecan family. The Tongva are also sometimes referred to as the Gabrieleño/Tongva...
tribe. From the late 1800s to the early 1900s, several different developers tried to develop Avalon into a
resort destination communityA resort town, sometimes called a resort city or resort destination, is a town or area where tourism or vacationing is a primary component of the local culture and economy...
, but most went bankrupt. In 1919, William Wrigley, Jr. gained control of Avalon. Wrigley oversaw much of the development Avalon, including the construction of the landmark
Catalina CasinoThe Catalina Casino is located in Avalon on Catalina Island off the coast of Los Angeles. It is the most recognizable landmark in the City of Avalon. It contains a theater, a ballroom, and a museum.-History:...
.
At the beginning of the 21st century, Avalon remains primarily a
resort communityA resort town, sometimes called a resort city or resort destination, is a town or area where tourism or vacationing is a primary component of the local culture and economy...
. Most of the waterfront is dominated by tourism-oriented businesses. The older parts of the town on the valley floor consists primarily of small houses and two and three-story buildings in various traditional architectural styles. There are also several large apartment complexes nestled in the hills on either side of the valley, so that they are not obvious in most postcard photos of Avalon.
Pre-European settlement
Prior to the modern era, Avalon Bay was inhabited by people of the
Gabrielino/TongvaThe Tongva are a Native American people who inhabited the area in and around Los Angeles, California, before the arrival of Europeans. Tongva means "people of the earth" in the Tongva language, a language in the Uto-Aztecan family. The Tongva are also sometimes referred to as the Gabrieleño/Tongva...
tribe. In addition to Catalina Island, the Tongva occupied present-day Los Angeles County, northern Orange County, and San Clemente Island. The island was a major source of soapstone 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. The Pimugnans had settlements all over the island at one time or another. Their biggest villages, most likely, were located at Avalon Bay, as well as at the Isthmus and Emerald Bay. By the 1830s, the entire island's native population had either died off, or had migrated to the mainland to work in the missions or as ranch hands for the many private land owners.
Early developers
In the 1840s, the Mexican governor
Pio PicoPío de Jesus Pico was the last Mexican Governor of Alta California.-Origins:Pío Pico was a Mexican governor of California. He was born at the Mission San Gabriel Arcángel to José María Pico and María Eustaquia Gutiérrez with the aid of midwife Eulalia Pérez de Guillén Mariné...
gave the island of Catalina as a grant to Don Jose Corruvias of Santa Barbara. The island traded hands dozens of times in the ensuing years until finally, in the 1860's it was acquired by
James LickJames Lick was an American carpenter, piano builder, land baron, and patron of the sciences. At the time of his death, he was the wealthiest man in California, and left the majority of his estate to social and scientific causes.-Early years:James Lick was born in Stumpstown Pennsylvania on...
, whose estate maintained control of the island for approximately the next 25 years.
The first owner to try to develop Avalon Bay into a resort destination was George Shatto, a real estate speculator from
Grand Rapids, MichiganGrand Rapids is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. The city is located on the Grand River and is approximately 30 miles from Lake Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 197,800, making it the 114th largest city in the United States. It is the county seat of Kent County,...
. Shatto purchased the island for $200,000 from the Lick estate of at the height of a
real estateReal estate is a legal term that encompasses land along with anything permanently affixed to the land, such as buildings, specifically property that is fixed in location.
"Real estate" The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Houghton Mifflin...
boomThe term boom and bust refers to a great buildup in the price of a particular commodity or, alternately, the localized rise in an economy, often based upon the value of a single commodity, followed by a downturn as the commodity price falls due to a change in economic circumstances or the collapse...
in
Southern CaliforniaSouthern California, or SoCal, is defined as the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. Its population centers around three major metropolitan areas, each of which have over 3 million people; the Los Angeles Metropolitan Area with over 12 million inhabitants, the San Bernardino-Riverside...
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. His sister-in-law Etta Whitney came up with the name
Avalon, which was pulled as a reference from Alfred, Lord Tennyson's poem "
Idylls of the KingIdylls of the King, published between 1856 and 1885, is a cycle of twelve narrative poems by the English poet Alfred, Lord Tennyson which retells the legend of King Arthur, his knights, his love for Guinevere and her tragic betrayal of him, following the rise and fall of Arthur and his kingdom...
," about the legend of
King ArthurKing Arthur is a legendary British leader who, according to medieval histories and romances, led the defense of Britain against the Saxon invaders in the early 6th century. The details of Arthur's story are mainly composed of folklore and literary invention, and his historical existence is debated...
. Shatto laid out Avalon's streets, and introduced it as a vacation destination to the general public. He did this by hosting a real estate auction in Avalon in 1887, and purchasing a steamer ship for daily access to the island. In the summer of 1888, the small pioneer village kicked off its opening season as a booming little resort town. 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 BanningPhineas Banning 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, which was named for his birthplace...
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, created the Pilgrim Club (a gambling club for men only). They also improved the standard of Avalon's beach by erecting a sea-wall and adding "spoonholders" or covered benches, building a bath house. For additional habitation, the Bannings erected close to one hundred tents throughout Avalon's canyon (often called "tent cities"). These tents were created so that if the expense of a hotel was too much, a visitor could rent out a tent for the bargain price of $7.50 per week. To this day, many homes in Avalon are still in possession of the same tents that stood in that spot over a century ago.
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. The Bannings refused to sell the island in hopes of rebuilding the town, starting with the Hotel Saint Catherine. The hotel would be located on Sugarloaf Point, the unique, picturesque, cliff bound peninsula at the north end of Avalon's harbor. It was blasted away to begin the construction of the hotel with its annex being in Descanso Canyon. These plans failed due to lack of funding and, in the end, the hotel was built in Descanso Canyon. Due to debt related to the 1915 fire and a decline in tourism due to
World War IWorld War I , also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All Wars, was a global military conflict which involved most of the world's great powers, assembled in two opposing alliances: the Triple Entente and the Triple Alliance...
, the Bannings were forced to sell the island in 1919 in shares.
Wrigley ownership
thumb
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. Before his purchase, he had traveled to Catalina with his wife, Ada, and son, Philip, and immediately fell in love with the island. Wrigley devoted himself to preserving and promoting it, investing millions in needed infrastructure and attractions. When Wrigley bought the island, the
Hermosa II and the
S.S. Cabrillo were the only steamships that provided access to the island. In order to encourage growth, Wrigley purchased an additional steamship, the
S.S. Virginia. With some adjustments, it was renamed the
S.S. Avalon. He also foresaw the design of another steamship, the
S.S. Catalina which was launched on the morning of May 3, 1924. These steamships would deliver passengers to Catalina for many years.
In the 1920s, in an effort to generate tourism in Avalon, Wrigley tried to convince
Gertrude EderleGertrude Caroline Ederle was an American competitive swimmer. In 1926, she became the first woman to swim across the English Channel.-Biography:...
, who had just become famous as first woman to swim across the
English ChannelThe English Channel is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates England from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. It is about long and varies in width from at its widest, to only in the Strait of Dover...
, to swim from Catalina to the mainland. She declined, so he launched the 1927 Wrigley Ocean Marathon: offering $25,000 to the first person to cross the channel and $15,000 for the first finisher of "the fair sex." Out of a field of 102, only one man completed the swim, Canadian swimmer George Young, who finished 15 hours and 44 minutes after the start. The two women who came the closest were awarded $2,500 each. Wrigley also brought attention to the town of Avalon by having his
Chicago CubsThe Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago , the Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the...
use the island for the team's
spring trainingIn Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to audition for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...
from 1921-1951, absent the war years of 1942-45. In 1929, Wrigley built the
Catalina CasinoThe Catalina Casino is located in Avalon on Catalina Island off the coast of Los Angeles. It is the most recognizable landmark in the City of Avalon. It contains a theater, a ballroom, and a museum.-History:...
over the site of a previous dance hall known as the Sugarloaf Casino. Throughout the 1930s the Casino Ballroom hosted many of the biggest names in entertainment, including Benny Goodman, Stan Kenton, Woody Herman, and Gene Autry. Following the death of William Wrigley Jr. in 1932, Wrigley's son,
Philip K. WrigleyPhilip Knight Wrigley , sometimes also called P.K. or Phil. Born in Chicago, he was an American chewing gum manufacturer and executive in Major League Baseball, inheriting both those roles as the quiet son of his much more flamboyant father, William Wrigley Jr. After his father died in 1932, Philip...
took over control of the Santa Catalina Island Company. Philip further continued his fathers work in the improvement of the infrastructure of the City of Avalon.
During
World War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including all great powers, organized into two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the island was closed to tourists and used for military training facilities. Catalina's steamships were expropriated for use as troop transports, the U.S. Maritime Service set up a training facility in Avalon, the Coast Guard had training at Two Harbors, the Army Signal Corp maintained a radar station in the interior, and the
Office of Strategic ServicesThe Office of Strategic Services was a United States intelligence agency formed during World War II. It was the wartime intelligence agency, and it was the predecessor of the Central Intelligence Agency .-Origins and activities:...
(a precursor to the CIA) did training at Toyon Bay.
In September 1972, 26 members of the
Brown BeretsThe Brown Berets was a Chicano nationalist activist group of young Mexican Americans during the Chicano Movement in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s...
, a group of
ChicanoThe terms Chicano and Chicana were originally used by, and in reference to U.S. citizens of Mexican descent. The term began to be widely used during the Chicano Movement mainly amongst Mexican Americans, especially in the movement's peak in the late 1960's and early 1970's...
activists, travelled to Catalina and planted a Mexican flag, claiming the island for all Chicanos. They asserted that the Guadalupe Hidalgo Treaty between
MexicoThe United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
and the USA did not specifically mention the Channel Islands. The group camped outside of Avalon and were viewed as a new tourist attraction. Local Mexican-Americans provided them with food after they used up their own supplies. After 24 days a municipal judge visited the camp to ask them to leave. They departed peaceably on the tourist boat, just as they had arrived.
Post-Wrigley era
In 1975, Philip Wrigley deeded the Wrigley shares in the Santa Catalina Island Company to the
Catalina Island ConservancyThe Catalina Island Conservancy is a nonprofit organization established to protect and conserve Santa Catalina Island, California. CIC was established in 1972 through the efforts of the Wrigley and Offield families...
that he had helped create. The Conservancy now stewards 88 percent of the island, primarily outside of the City of Avalon. The mission of the Catalina Island Conservancy is to be a responsible steward of its lands through a balance of conservation, education and
recreationRecreation or fun is the expenditure of time in a manner designed for therapeutic refreshment of one's body or mind. While leisure is more likely a form of entertainment or sleep, recreation is active for the participant but in a refreshing and diverting manner...
. So far, the successes include the opening of California's first permanent desalination plant in 1991. 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 draws to Avalon, including the Catalina Visitors Country Club, Catalina Island Golf Course, Descanso Beach Club and the Casino Ballroom.
In May 2007, the
Island FireThe 2007 Island Fire was a brush fire that broke out in the hills north and west of Avalon, California, located on Catalina Island on May 10, 2007. The fire burned of interior chaparral...
ripped through of land just outside of Avalon's City Limits. Over 200 fire fighting recruits were brought over by Marine hovercraft and helicopter to protect the city. Ultimately, only one residence and six commercial structures were destroyed.
Geography and climate
Avalon is located on
Santa Catalina IslandSanta Catalina Island, often called Catalina Island, or just Catalina, is a rocky island off the coast of the U.S. state of California. The island is 22 miles long and eight miles across at its greatest width. The island is located about 22 miles south-southwest of Los Angeles, California...
, approximately south-by-southwest of the
Los Angeles HarborThe Port of Los Angeles, also called Los Angeles Harbor and WORLDPORT L.A., is a port complex that occupies 7,500 acres of land and water along 43 miles of waterfront. The port is located on San Pedro Bay in the San Pedro neighborhood of Los Angeles, approximately 20 miles south of downtown...
breakwaterBreakwaters are structures constructed on coasts as part of coastal defence or to protect an anchorage from the effects of weather and longshore drift.-Purposes of breakwaters:...
. It is the only incorporated city to be located on one of the eight
Channel Islands of CaliforniaThe Channel Islands of California are a chain of eight islands located in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Southern California along the Santa Barbara Channel in the United States of America...
. Due to its location on Catalina Island, it is the southern-most city in Los Angeles County. According to the
United States Census BureauThe United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data. As part of the United States Department of Commerce, the Census Bureau serves as the leading source of quality data about...
, the city has a total area of , on land and on water.
Avalon has a very mild subtropical climate with warm temperatures year-round. The
National Weather ServiceThe National Weather Service , once known as the Weather Bureau, is one of the six scientific agencies that make up the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of the United States government...
maintained a cooperative station at the Avalon Pleasure Pier from 1909 through 1988. Based on those records, average January temperatures are a maximum of and a minimum of and average July temperatures are a maximum of and a minimum of . The temperature reaches or higher on an average of only 1.0 day and drops to or lower on an average of only 0.1 day annually. The highest recorded temperature was on September 28, 1963, 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 inches. 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.
Cityscape
The City of Avalon is oriented around Avalon Bay. Being a
resort communityA resort town, sometimes called a resort city or resort destination, is a town or area where tourism or vacationing is a primary component of the local culture and economy...
, much of the city infrastructure is oriented toward a tourist-based economy. The harbor and beaches form the center of the town's activity. The Cabrillo Mole, located on 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 mallA pedestrian mall is the most common form of pedestrian zone in large cities. It is a street lined with storefronts and closed off to most automobile traffic...
, 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
seawallA seawall is a form of hard and strong coastal defense constructed on the inland part of a coast to reduce the effects of strong waves.In the UK, sea wall also refers to an earthen bank used to create a polder, or a dike...
. Many of these features were introduced to Avalon during an extensive re-design undertaken by
Philip K. WrigleyPhilip Knight Wrigley , sometimes also called P.K. or Phil. Born in Chicago, he was an American chewing gum manufacturer and executive in Major League Baseball, inheriting both those roles as the quiet son of his much more flamboyant father, William Wrigley Jr. After his father died in 1932, Philip...
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 CasinoThe Catalina Casino is located in Avalon on Catalina Island off the coast of Los Angeles. It is the most recognizable landmark in the City of Avalon. It contains a theater, a ballroom, and a museum.-History:...
. Built in a style described as a cross between
Art DecoArt Deco was a popular international art design movement from 1925 until the 1940s, affecting the decorative arts such as architecture, interior design, and industrial design, as well as the visual arts such as fashion, painting, the graphic arts, and film...
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 run by the Santa Catalina Island Company. At the farthest north end of town are the Hamilton Cove condominums, 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 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 the 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 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.
Government
thumbThe municipal government of the City of Avalon is of the
council-managerThe council-manager government is one of two main variations of representative municipal government in the United States....
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 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
state legislatureThe California State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of California. It is a bicameral body consisting of the lower house, the California State Assembly, with 80 members, and the upper house, the California State Senate, with 40 members...
, Avalon is located in the 27th
SenateThe California State Senate is the upper house of the California State Legislature. There are 40 State Senators. The state legislature meets in the state capital, Sacramento. The Lieutenant Governor is the ex officio President of the Senate and may break a tied vote...
District, represented by Democrat
Alan LowenthalAlan S. Lowenthal has been a Democratic member of the California State Senate since 2004. He previously served in the California State Assembly representing the 55th Assembly district from 1998 until 2004. In both posts, the areas he represented are the city of Long Beach and its surrounding suburbs...
, and in the 54th
AssemblyThe California State Assembly is the lower house of the California State Legislature. There are 80 members in the Assembly, representing an approximately equal number of constituents, with each district having a population of at least 420,000...
District, represented by Democrat
Bonnie LowenthalBonnie Lowenthal is a Democratic assemblymember representing California's 54th Assembly District. She was elected to that post in 2008...
. Federally, Avalon is located in
California's 46th congressional districtCalifornia's 46th congressional district covers part of Los Angeles County and Orange County, and it is currently represented by Republican Dana Rohrabacher....
, which has a
Cook PVIThe Cook Partisan Voting Index , sometimes referred to as simply the Partisan Voting Index , is a measurement of how strongly an American congressional district or state leans toward one political party compared to the nation as a whole...
of R +6 and is represented by Republican
Dana RohrabacherDana Tyron Rohrabacher , is a Californian politician, who has been a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives since 1989 and currently represents .-Education:...
.
Avalon is served by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. A few 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 DepartmentThe Los Angeles County Fire Department , serves unincorporated parts of Los Angeles County, as well as 58 cities and towns that choose to have the county provide fire and EMS services, including the City of La Habra, in Orange County...
serves the rest of the island.
The
United States Postal ServiceThe United States Postal Service is an independent agency of the United States government responsible for providing postal service in the United States. It is one of the few government agencies explicitly authorized by the United States Constitution. Within the United States, it is commonly...
Avalon Post Office is located at 118 Metropole Street.
Demographics
As of the
censusA "census" is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population.In other words every 10 years...next one would be in 2010 The term is used mostly in connection with...
of 2000, there were 3,127 people, 1,158 households, and 719 families residing in the city. The
population densityPopulation density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans. It is a key term used in geography....
was 429.7/km
2 (1,112.4/mi
2). There were 1,839 housing units at an average density of 252.7/km
2 (654.2/mi
2). The racial makeup of the city was 71.63%
WhiteRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.74%
BlackRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
1.02%
Native AmericanRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.61%
AsianRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.22%
Pacific IslanderRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 20.37% from
other racesRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 5.40% from two or more races. 45.95% of the population were Hispanic or
LatinoRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
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 couplesMarriage is a social union or legal contract between individuals that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged by a variety of ways, depending on the culture or demographic...
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 incomePer capita income means how much each individual receives, in monetary terms, of the yearly income generated in the country. This is what each citizen is to receive if the yearly national income is divided equally among everyone. Per capita income is usually reported in units of currency per year...
for the city was $21,032. About 9.2% of families and 10.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.5% of those under age 18 and 4.6% of those age 65 or over.
Education
thumb
There are two
preschoolsPreschool education is the provision of education for children before the commencement of statutory education, usually between the ages of three and five, dependent on the jurisdiction. Preschool is also known as nursery school, day care or kindergarten....
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
cooperativeA cooperative is defined by the International Co-operative Alliance's Statement on the Co-operative Identity as an autonomous association of persons united voluntarily to meet their common economic, social, and cultural needs and aspirations through a jointly-owned and...
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 Schools. Avalon Schools falls within the jurisdiction of the
Long Beach Unified School DistrictThe Long Beach Unified School District is a school district headquartered in Long Beach, California, United States.LBUSD serves most of Long Beach, all of the city of Signal Hill, and portions of Lakewood, and Paramount, as well as Avalon and Two Harbors on Santa Catalina Island.-School uniforms...
. 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 StyleThe Mission Revival Style was an architectural movement that began in the late 19th century and drew inspiration from the early Spanish missions in California...
buildings, a gymnasium, four secondary bungalows, and sixteen elementary bungalows. For high school sports, Avalon is a member of the
CIF Southern SectionC.I.F. Southern Section is the largest of the ten sections which comprise the California Interscholastic Federation. Its membership includes most public and private high schools in Orange, Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino, Ventura, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Mono, and Inyo counties, as...
. The school mascot is the
LancerA lancer was a type of cavalryman who fought with a lance. Lances were used in mounted warfare by the Assyrians as early as 700BC and subsequently by Greek, Macedonian, Persian, Gallic and Roman horsemen" The weapon was widely used in Asia and Europe during the Middle Ages and the Renaissance by...
. 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 two other options for elementary education. LBUSD has a
one-room schoolOne-room schools were commonplace throughout rural portions of various countries including the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, United Kingdom and Ireland in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In most rural and small town schools, all of the students met in a single room...
, Two Harbors Elementary School, at
Two HarborsTwo Harbors, colloquially known as "The Isthmus", is a small unincorporated island village on Santa Catalina Island, California with a population of 298 . It is the second center of population on the island, besides the city of Avalon. It is mainly a resort village. It has only one restaurant, one...
in unincorporated
Los Angeles CountyLos Angeles County is a county in California and is by far the most populous county in the United States. Figures from the U.S. Census Bureau give an estimated 2008 population of 9,862,049 residents, while the California State government's population bureau lists a January 1, 2009, estimate of...
. Children may also study at the private Avalon Christian School, located on 346 Catalina Avenue. Students from both these schools attend Avalon Schools for junior high and high school education.
Intercity
The city is served by several high-speed passenger boats with regular daily service to
Newport BeachNewport Beach, incorporated in 1906, is a city in Orange County, California, United States south of downtown Santa Ana. As of January 1, 2009, the population was 86,252. The current OMB metropolitan designation for Newport Beach lies within the Santa Ana-Anaheim-Irvine area...
, San Pedro,
Long BeachLong Beach is a large city located in southern California, USA, on the Pacific coast. It is situated in Los Angeles County, about south of downtown Los Angeles. Long Beach borders Orange County on its southeast edge....
,
Marina del ReyMarina del Rey is a seaside unincorporated area of Los Angeles County, California. Its population at the 2000 U.S. Census was 8,176. Its Fisherman's Village offers a view of Marina del Rey's dominant feature as one of the largest man-made small boat harbors in the U.S., with 19 marinas with...
, and
Dana PointDana Point is a city located in southern Orange County, California. The population was 35,110 at the 2000 census, making it Orange County's 26th most populous city out of 34...
. Most of these cross-channel carriers dock at the Cabrillo Mole, located at the south end of the bay. Private vessels that come to Avalon Harbor are assigned a mooring by the Avalon Harbor Patrol on a first-come, first-serve basis. Boaters can get from their vessels to shore either by mooring their
dinghiesA dinghy is a type of small boat, often carried or towed by a larger vessel. The term can also refer to small racing yachts or recreational open sailing boats. Utility dinghies are usually rowboats or have an outboard motor, but some are rigged for sailing...
at one of the dinghy docks, or by getting catching a ride on a private shoreboat.
Catalina AirportCatalina Airport is a privately-owned airport located six miles northwest of the central business district of Avalon, California in the middle of Catalina Island. The airport is open to the public and allows general aviation aircraft to land there. The only requirement is that inbound pilots...
(FAA Identifier: AVX), also known as Airport-in-the-Sky, was built in 1946 and is located at (NAD83 rounded from FAA-provided coordinates): , northwest of Avalon. The runway sits on a mountaintop, above sea level. Until the time of the airport's construction, the only air service to the island was provided by
seaplaneA seaplane is a fixed-wing aircraft capable of taking off and landing on water. Seaplanes are usually divided into two categories: floatplanes and flying boats...
s. Fixed-wing flights pay a $25 landing fee as of January 1, 2009. Several
helicopterA helicopter is an aircraft that is lifted and propelled by one or more horizontal rotors, each rotor consisting of two or more rotor blades. Helicopters are classified as rotorcraft or rotary-wing aircraft to distinguish them from fixed-wing aircraft because the helicopter achieves lift with the...
companies serve the city, with the most landing at the Pebbly Beach Heliport, located south of Avalon Bay.
Intracity
thumbThe main method of transportation in Avalon is by small gasoline or electric powered motorcars referred to as "autoettes." These include numerous golf carts 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 IslandSanta Catalina Island, often called Catalina Island, or just Catalina, is a rocky island off the coast of the U.S. state of California. The island is 22 miles long and eight miles across at its greatest width. The island is located about 22 miles south-southwest of Los Angeles, California...
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 VehiclesThe California Department of Motor Vehicles is the state agency responsible for the registration of motor vehicles and boats and the issuance of driver's licenses in the U.S. state of California. It is responsible for regulating new car dealers , commercial cargo carriers, private driving...
.
Visitors to Avalon can walk, rent a bicycle, rent a golf cart, ride a shuttle bus, or hire one of several private taxis. On the ocean, visitors also have a number of options for recreational transportation. They may rent
paddle boardsPaddleboarding is a surface water sport in which the participant is propelled by a swimming motion usually on a long surfboard close to the shore. A derivative of paddleboarding is stand up paddle surfing.-History:...
,
pedal boatsA pedalo is a form of waterborne transport, primarily for recreational use, powered through the use of pedals....
,
kayakA kayak is a small human-powered boat. It typically has a covered deck, and a cockpit covered by a spraydeck also known as a skirt. The kayak was used by the native Ainu, Aleut and Eskimo hunters in sub-Arctic regions of northeastern Asia, North America and Greenland. It historically was, and...
s, or personal
outboard motorboatsAn outboard motor is installed on the rear of a boat and contains the internal combustion engine, the gearbox, and the propeller.An inboard/outboard contains a hybrid of a powerplant and an outboard, where the internal combustion engine is installed inside the boat, and the gearbox and propeller...
. Rental kayaks and motorboats may also be used for travel outside of Avalon Harbor.
External links