Catalina Island history: from Pimu to Avalon
Catalina Island history begins long before the present city of Avalon. The Tongva lived on the island before Europeans arrived, and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife identifies Pimu and Pimugna as Indigenous names for the island. Its history of habitation reaches back thousands of years. Remembering those names gives a longer perspective on a place often introduced through its harbour and visitor attractions.
Avalon is on Santa Catalina Island in California. Its later development involved George Shatto, the Banning brothers and the Wrigley family. The city was incorporated in 1913, and the Catalina Casino opened in 1929. Today you can connect these chapters with a visit to the waterfront and the memorial and garden. For practical ideas around the city, see the guide to things to do in Catalina.
The Tongva and the island
The Tongva inhabited the island long before European arrival. Pimu and Pimugna place the island within that much longer Indigenous history rather than treating the later development of Avalon as its beginning. When you look across the harbour today, the built waterfront represents only one part of the island's story.
Approach cultural places and the surrounding landscape with care. In Conservancy land, stay on open routes and leave natural and cultural material where you find it. If your plans include the interior, consult the hiking guide for the free permit and current trail checks. A walk through Avalon itself is a different activity from entering Conservancy land on a hike.
Our pick: Avalon tasting walk
Our take: The guided tasting walk pairs a walk through Avalon with food and drinks at tasting locations.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in US dollars (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Taste Avalon
A cultural tasting walk offers a way to explore Avalon through food and local context.
How Avalon developed
George Shatto began the planned visitor development of Avalon. The Banning brothers took over in 1892, followed by the Wrigleys in 1919. These changes form a useful sequence for understanding the modern city, without reducing the island's full history to a list of owners. Avalon was incorporated in 1913, between the Banning and Wrigley periods.
The local library traces the choice of the name Avalon to Etta Whitney and Tennyson's Arthurian poetry. The name belongs here to the California island city described in this guide. Its waterfront gives visitors a way to orient themselves before exploring the city and its buildings. Arrivals and excursions use different facilities: Green Pleasure Pier is an excursion pier, while the ferry terminal is separate. Check the meeting point on each booking.
A tasting walk is a contemporary way to spend time in Avalon while considering its setting. The walk offered here includes food, drinks and desserts at the tasting locations, along with service tips at those stops. Island transportation and the guide's tip are separate. If you also want to enter the Casino, arrange that visit on its own and check the current admission options.
Catalina Casino: a gathering place
Opened in 1929 under William Wrigley Jr., the Casino is a place for gatherings and events, not a gambling house. Its name can otherwise lead visitors to expect a different kind of building. The waterfront structure brings together the Avalon Theatre, Wrigley Ballroom and Ocean Promenade, among other spaces.
General Admission is a self-guided visit. VIP Backstage is a guided option with additional areas. Check current availability and conditions before choosing between them, and consider the uphill interior routes, ramps and stairs described for the visits. You can also plan time around the waterfront without assuming admission is included in a separate activity. Our excursions guide has more ways to organise a day in Avalon.
The history of the Wrigley Memorial
The Wrigley Memorial was built from 1933 to 1934, and Ada Wrigley began the garden in 1935. Together they connect the family's story with a distinct place inland from the waterfront. The memorial is not William Wrigley Jr.'s present burial place: his remains were moved to Glendale after the Second World War. The Catalina Island Conservancy has managed the garden since 1996.
Allow time to visit the memorial and garden separately from the Casino. For current practical details, including admission, the staff-dependent shuttle and how a garden visit relates to a longer walk, use the hiking and garden guide. If you are also planning a boat journey, the ferry page helps with the mainland crossing.
Frequently asked questions
Who lived on Catalina before European arrival?
The Tongva inhabited the island long before Europeans arrived. Pimu and Pimugna are Indigenous names recorded for the island.
Is the Catalina Casino a gambling house?
No. The building is a gathering and event venue that opened in 1929.
When was the Wrigley Memorial built?
It was built from 1933 to 1934; Ada Wrigley began the garden in 1935.
Does a tasting walk include Casino admission?
Plan a Casino visit separately and check its admission options when arranging your day.