Welcome to Catalina Island. This island has been visualized as a recreation location since the1880s. Once part of a Spanish land grant, it was eventually purchased by the Banning Family active in developing the port of Los Angeles in the 1880s. Their thoughts were to develop the island as a resort. Their work included providing tent sized lots, building a hotel and shops, a wharf and arranging for steamer transportation to and from the mainland. Declining real estate sales and a major settlement fire in 1915 induced the family to offer the island for sale.
William Wrigley, Jr. was an extremely successful businessman, who had huge success with the Wrigley Chewing Gum Company in the 1900s and with building and developments in the Chicago area. He and his family wintered in Pasadena, CA and was in the midst of planning his retirement. He had properties in the Pasadena area and in several growing beach communities, including Newport Beach. He was owner of the Chicago Cubs Baseball Club and had interest in several other sports organizations and ball fields. William Wrigley needed a builder which would meet his challenging goals for design, building, costs and schedule. In this regard he engaged D.M. Renton to support his mainland projects. DM as he was known as, was very active in building activities in the Pasadena area.
Controlling interest in Catalina Island was obtained by William Wrigley from the Banning Family in 1919 sight unseen. DM Renton was hired for constrction, design and development and eventually became the Vice President and General Manager of The Catalina Island Company.
In 1919 the Wrigley Family started thinking about a summer home above Avalon. Construction was finished at the end on 1921. The concept of the house came from William's wife Ada and DM Renton. The design and construction was pure DM Renton's accomplishment. These days the house remains in control of the Wrigley Family. A small Bread and Breakfast operation is there, likely one of the nicest in Avalon. There are no daily tours. Occasionally there have been prearranged special group tours.
The location of this virtual geocache can be approached on Wrigley Terrace Road. It is a bit of an uphill hike from Avalon (hats and water for sure). The location is on the regular rental golf cart tour route around Avalon. In the summer and on weekends consider placing reservations for golf carts well in advance. Arriving on the first boat in the morning also helps. Once near the cache location please do not to block the entry driveway to the house. This drive way is not open to the public. Continuing down the hill via Wrigley Terrace Road will provide the best view points for the Wrigley Summer Home.
To log your find, message me through the geocaching system the 5-letter name found on the gate control covers on each side of the entry gate and then log your find. Failure to message me the required information risks having your find log erased.
Virtual Rewards 4.0 - 2024-2025
This Virtual Cache is part of a limited release of Virtuals created between January 17, 2024 and January 17, 2025. Only 4,000 cache owners were given the opportunity to hide a Virtual Cache. Learn more about Virtual Rewards 4.0 on the Geocaching Blog.