Santa Catalina Island Company
Santa Catalina Island Company, Santa Catalina Island was incorporated in October 1894 by William Banning (1858-1946) and his brothers, Joseph (1861-1920) and Hancock (1865-1925), as a subsidiary of their holdings. They had purchased the island interests from George Shatto in 1892 for $128,740. Each brother owned one third of the company’s island assets. Joseph Banning acted as onsite island owner/manager after the island purchase. The Company became the owner of record by deed dated May 7, 1896.
In the early years, the Bannings maintained a transportation monopoly to the island, as the Santa Catalina Island Company made major improvements on the island to attract tourists. Carpenters were brought over to improve and enlarge the company-owned Metropole Hotel (built by George Shatto); a 90-foot-diameter dance pavillion was constructed near the beach; bathhouses were built for swimmers; the island’s water and sanitation systems were expanded; fences were strung; hundreds of trees were planted, and a new wharf was built for the Bannings’ steamers. Use of many of the island’s ammenities was included in the price of a round-trip ticket on their vessels. Business was good and growing. It was reported that 36,000 passengers visited the island in the eighteen months between May 1892 and December 1893. Other island resources were exploited as well. October 1, 1891 the Bannings gave their father’s old friend, Arizona-rancher Walter Vail, a cattle-grazing lease on the island, although Vail didn’t use the island for very long.
Beginning in 1893, the Bannings sold rock to the contractors constructing the San Pedro breakwater. They also developed a quarry to produce serpentine, popular for decorative furnishings and exterior building trim in downtown Los Angeles. In 1901, additional capital was added to the Santa Catalina Island Company and the Wilmington Transportation Company the Bannings brought in Hancock Banning’s brother-in-law, George Smith Patton (father of General G. S. Patton, Jr.), as a 1/7th company partner, leaving each Banning brother with 2/7th ownership. With this fresh cash infusion, a power plant for electric lighting in Avalon was built in 1901, along with a Greek Amphitheatre for regular concerts by the Catalina Island Marine Band, and a scenic incline railway between Avalon and Lovers Cove. In 1905 the company held regular fireworks shows over the bay. Steamships Hermosa II and Cabrillo were added to the fleet to increase travel capacity to the island. In 1907, the year Avalon was declared by the courts to be an open port, Hancock Banning replaced his brother, Joseph, as onsite island owner/manager, although soon thereafter a general manager was hired by the company.
Since its incorporation, the company has had eight presidents and Chief Operating Officers:
- Captain William Banning, President, 1894-1919;
- David Blankenhorn, President, 1919-1920;
- Joseph H. Partick, President, 1920-1932;
- Philip K. Wrigley, President, 1932-1977;
- Claude Brooks, President, 1977-1984; [came from Gum Company]
- William Wrigley, President, 1984-1988;
- William Wrigley, CEO, 1988-1992;
- Paxson Offield, President, 1988-2001;
- Paxson Offield, CEO, 1993-2006;
- Ron Doutt, President, 2001-2008; [not an islander]
- Ron Doutt, CEO, 2007-2008;
- Randall L. Herrel, Sr., President & CEO, 2009-Present [former CEO of Quicksilver]
SCICO buildings and assets include:
- Atwater Hotel
- Avalon Grille
- Bluewater Grille
- Casino
- Pavillion Lodge
» Avalon, Santa Catalina Island; Phineas Banning; William Banning; Joseph Banning; Hancock Banning; Wilmington Transportation Company; Sitton, Tom. The Bannings on the Magic Isle. Santa Catalina Island, 1892-1919. California History 87(1):6-23, 64-67, 2009.
In the News~
August 4, 1914 [TI/Avalon]: “It is reported that the Santa Catalina Company and the Wilmington Transportation Company are now two distinct and separate companies, the latter operating under Federal license. The S.C.I.Co. owns the island, with the exception of the few lots in Avalon, and the entire business must be operated from the profits obtained by the Avalon holdings. Previously and deficiencies were adjusted between the two companies, but now each must be self-supporting.”
August 18, 1914 [TI/Avalon]: “The Santa Catalina Island Company have announced their intentions to run a pleasure resort on the island.”
May 11, 1915 [TI/Avalon]: “An approximate estimate relative to the money spent by the Wilmington Transportation Company to settle the deficiencies of the Santa Catalina Island Commpany in operating Avalon as a pleasure resort for the past five years, was made public last week. For 1910, a transfer of $70,000 was made; 1911, $70,000; 1912, $65,000; 1913, $35,000; 1914, $30,000. Compare the amounts of 1910, 1911 and 1912 with that of 1913 and 1914, with a city administration that collects ‘legal taxes’ for the operation of a pleasure resort as a city of the sixth class. Avalon was incorporated June 26, 1913. Immediately after that the Santa Catalina Island Company’s expenses became less; the attractions and the patronage of visitors also became less. The proportion of the decrease in business and the tax rate for the entertainment of visitors was paid by the property owners of Avalon.”
October 12, 1915 [TI/Avalon]: “A representative of the Santa Catalina Island Company, yesterday, posted ‘No Shooting’ notices at various places on the island. Two or three such notices were posted in every cove.”
November 30, 1915 [LAT]: “Smoldering ruins and ashes where beautiful Avalon stood. Over half of island city is destroyed by flames. Estimated loss of half a million dollars, wrought by possible incendiary blaze. Dramatic scene as victims flee in night. Two hundred persons are homeless as a result of a fire, supposedly of incendiary origin, which reduced more than half of Avalon to ashes early yesterday morning, causing property losses which are estimated by officials of the Santa Catalina Island Company at $500,000…”
May 24, 1916 [TI/Avalon]: “All it is needed now is a little cooperation with the Santa Catalina Island Company. And it is up to the little fellows to get into the band wagon if they intend to take part in the up-building of the new Avalon.”
May 30, 1916 [TI/Avalon]: “Work was commenced Friday to construct a new bath house for the Santa Catalina Island Company. The building is to be located at the easterly end of Crescent Avenue and it has been designed to be the most artistic structure on the waterfront.”
June 10, 1919 [LAT]: “The Los Angeles Harbor Commission has authorized J. W. Ludlow, assistant harbor engineer, and C. H. Matson, traffic manager of the harbor department, to have plans prepared for the construction of stock yards and dipping tanks to take care of the increasing shipments of cattle and sheep through this port. A number of communications have been received from the livestock companies, including the San Clemente Sheep Company, the Vail & Vickers Company and the Catalina Island Company, stating that the cattle and sheep-raising industry in the group of islands off the coast is increasing so rapidly that the facilities here are inadequate, and suggesting that the Harbor Department make provisions for handling these shipments. In view of this condition, and the increasing amount of imports of cattle from Mexico, the Harbor Commission is preparing to construct a stock yard capable of handling from fifty to one hundred cars of stock, with provisions for unlimited expansions, as the growth of the industry warrants, Mr. Ludlow announced this morning.”
