The Catalina Casino was built on the site formerly known as Sugarloaf Point. This site was cleared away to allow for the construction of the Hotel St. Catherine. However, this hotel was eventually built in Descanso Canyon instead. When chewing gum magnate William Wrigley Jr. bought the controlling stake in Catalina Island, he used this cleared spot to build the dance hall which he named Sugarloaf Casino. It served as a ballroom and Avalon's first high-school. Its time as a casino was short, however, for it proved too small for Catalina's growing population. In 1928, the Casino was razed to make room for a newer Casino. Sugarloaf Rock was blasted away to enhance the Casino's ocean-view.
On May 29, 1929, the newer Casino finished construction under the direction of Mr. Wrigley and David M. Renton at a cost of 2 million dollars. Its design, done by Sumner A. Spaulding and Walter Weber, is described as being Art Deco and Mediterranean Revival, and was the first to be designed specifically for movies with sound. Steel structure of the old Sugarloaf Casino can still be found in Avalon's abandoned bird park. The bird park was conceived by Mrs. Wrigley, and, at the time, was one of the largest aviaries in the world. The bird-park now serves as a daycare for the local residents of Avalon.
Surrounded by sea on three sides, the circular structure of the Catalina Casino is the equivalent of 12 stories tall. It has a movie theatre and museum on the first level and a dance hall on the top level. To reach the top level, Wrigley built the Casino with two ramped walkways that extend from the circular core, with two small lobby spaces as well as bathrooms just below the dance floor. Wrigley took the idea to use ramps instead of stairs from his Chicago Cubs stadium. The ramps allowed the large numbers of people using the ballroom to quickly move to and from their destinations. The building was decorated with sterling silver and gold leaf.
The upper level houses the world's largest circular ballroom with a 180-foot (55 m) diameter dance floor. French doors encircle the room, and balcony views are spectacular. The dance floor has a capacity of over 6,000 dancers. The upstairs dance floor was briefly used by the local high school basketball team.
Tags: Michael Locke Michael Locke, Photographer Michael Locke, Realtor
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Architects Walter I. Webber, William Field Staunton and Sumner Spaulding designed the Spanish Colonial Revival style house for Mr. and Mrs. Aubrey Wardman in 1925. The Wardman family were patrons of Whittier College donating several buildings including Wardman Hall, Wardman Gymnasium and Wardman Library. Mr. Wardman was known for his activities in developing the local petroleum industry and for pioneering the expansion of the telephone system throughout Southern California. The house was deeded to Whittier College after Bonnie Bell Wardman's passing and now serves as the home for the President of the college. The interior of the house was designed and furnished by Barker Brothers in a Spanish motif at the completion of construction. Much of the original furnishing still remain.
The Wardman House was designated a Whittier Historic Monument (No. 5) in 1991. Located at 13952 Summit Drive in Whittier, California. Please do not use this image in any media without my permission. © All rights reserved.
Tags: Webber, Staunton & Spaulding Barker Brothers Aubrey Wardman Whittier College Whittier Architecture Whittier Treasures of Los Angeles Architecture
© All Rights Reserved
Architects Webber, Staunton and Spaulding designed the Spanish Colonial Revival style house for Mr. and Mrs. Aubrey Wardman in 1925. The Wardman family were patrons of Whittier College donating several buildings including Wardman Hall, Wardman Gymnasium and Wardman Library. Mr. Wardman was known for his activities in developing the local petroleum industry and for pioneering the expansion of the telephone system throughout Southern California. The house was deeded to Whittier College after Bonnie Bell Wardman's passing and now serves as the home for the President of the college. The interior of the house was designed and furnished by Barker Brothers in a Spanish motif at the completion of construction. Much of the original furnishing still remain.
The Wardman House was designated a Whittier Historic Monument (No. 5) in 1991. Located at 13952 Summit Drive in Whittier, California. Please do not use this image in any media without my permission. © All rights reserved.
Tags: Webber, Staunton & Spaulding Barker Brothers Aubrey Wardman Whittier College Whittier Architecture Whittier Treasures of Los Angeles Architecture
© All Rights Reserved
Architects Webber, Staunton and Spaulding designed the Spanish Colonial Revival style house for Mr. and Mrs. Aubrey Wardman in 1925. The Wardman family were patrons of Whittier College donating several buildings including Wardman Hall, Wardman Gymnasium and Wardman Library. Mr. Wardman was known for his activities in developing the local petroleum industry and for pioneering the expansion of the telephone system throughout Southern California. The house was deeded to Whittier College after Bonnie Bell Wardman's passing and now serves as the home for the President of the college. The interior of the house was designed and furnished by Barker Brothers in a Spanish motif at the completion of construction. Much of the original furnishing still remain.
The Wardman House was designated a Whittier Historic Monument (No. 5) in 1991. Located at 13952 Summit Drive in Whittier, California. Please do not use this image in any media without my permission. © All rights reserved.
Tags: Webber, Staunton & Spaulding Barker Brothers Aubrey Wardman Whittier College Whittier Architecture Whittier Treasures of Los Angeles Architecture
© All Rights Reserved
Architects Webber, Staunton and Spaulding designed the Spanish Colonial Revival style house for Mr. and Mrs. Aubrey Wardman in 1925. The Wardman family were patrons of Whittier College donating several buildings including Wardman Hall, Wardman Gymnasium and Wardman Library. Mr. Wardman was known for his activities in developing the local petroleum industry and for pioneering the expansion of the telephone system throughout Southern California. The house was deeded to Whittier College after Bonnie Bell Wardman's passing and now serves as the home for the President of the college. The interior of the house was designed and furnished by Barker Brothers in a Spanish motif at the completion of construction. Much of the original furnishing still remain.
The Wardman House was designated a Whittier Historic Monument (No. 5) in 1991. Located at 13952 Summit Drive in Whittier, California. Please do not use this image in any media without my permission. © All rights reserved.
Tags: Webber, Staunton & Spaulding Barker Brothers Aubrey Wardman Whittier College Whittier Architecture Whittier Treasures of Los Angeles Architecture
© All Rights Reserved