1909 *SS CABRILLA & SS HERMOSA STEAMSHIPS* SAN PEDRO, CA {PANORAMIC} REAL PHOTO!

Description

1909  ~SS CABRILLA AND SS HERMOSA~ (WOODEN STEAMSHIPS USED TO TRANSPORT TOURISTS) ... SAN PEDRO, CALIFORNIA - THE GATEWAY TO THE ORIENT ... AMAZING (LARGE 9 7/8" X 4") PANORAMIC {{REAL PHOTO}}!
Continue reading below about the fate of the early steamships:
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SS
Cabrillo
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Cabrillo
History
United States
Name
SS
Cabrillo
Namesake
Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo
Owner
Wilmington Transportation Company
Launched
February 15, 1904
Fate
Abandoned, 1947
General characteristics
Type
Passenger ship
Capacity
1,200 passengers
SS
Cabrillo
was a wooden
steamship
used to transport tourists between the
Los Angeles Harbor
and
Avalon
and
Two Harbors
on
Santa Catalina Island
, one of the
Channel Islands
, located in
Los Angeles County, California
.
The "Banning Era"
[
edit
]
The
Banning brothers
of
Wilmington
played a huge role in transportation to the island even before their purchase of it in 1891. The Bannings owned the Wilmington Transportation Company, and provided the steamships used to deliver tourists from
Los Angeles
to the island's city of
Avalon
. When they eventually bought the island in 1891, their company had already provided the necessary transportation to Catalina. However, with new technology and a growing population of visitors, steamships were being replaced quite frequently.
The Banning brothers, who now owned the island, showed even more interest in improving passenger service to Catalina. So they designed two steamships specifically for the Catalina run. The first was the SS
Hermosa II
, followed by the SS
Cabrillo
. Once the construction of the
Hermosa II
was underway, the Bannings soon realized that the ship would not be big enough to accommodate the island's growing tourism. Before the launch of the
Hermosa
, plans for the construction of the SS
Cabrillo
had already begun. On February 15, 1904, early in the morning, the
Cabrillo
was launched and, at the time, was the finest ship on the run. The Bannings had hoped for a ship that was faster, bigger, and better in every way, and that is just what the
Cabrillo
was. She could carry up to 1,200 passengers. With a luxurious interior, a social hall, 10 staterooms, and food service on the main deck, the SS
Cabrillo
immediately became the favorite ship amongst the general public traveling to Catalina.
The "Wrigley Era"
[
edit
]
During the turn of the century, the Bannings ran into financial problems with loss of tourism due to
World War I
and the fire of 1915 that destroyed more than half of Avalon. With failed attempts to rebuild, the Bannings were forced to sell the island in shares.
William Wrigley Jr.
, the inventor of chewing gum, fell in love with the island and bought out all the shares from owners until he owned all of Catalina Island. He soon rebuilt all of Avalon, and Catalina was back in business. During this era, the island was starting to become world known, resulting in a massive increase in tourism. The SS
Hermosa II
and the SS
Cabrillo
were not at all ready for what was coming their way. Mr. Wrigley understood this and had a plan that would change Catalina forever.
Sailing with the great whites
[
edit
]
William Wrigley Jr. understood the great importance of water transportation to the island. He wanted there to be a balance between comfort, convenience, and magnificence. His plan was to add two more ships to the fleet.
The first ship he introduced was the
SS
Avalon
in 1920, followed by the
SS
Catalina
in 1924. Both ships were far faster than the
Cabrillo
, held large ballrooms and could carry close to 2,000 passengers. The SS
Cabrillo
was then used, only, for passenger service to the Isthmus at Twin Harbors. With the demise of the SS
Hermosa II
; the SS
Cabrillo
, SS
Avalon
, and SS
Catalina
were the only steamships to, ever again, be used on the Catalina run.
World War II
[
edit
]
With the outbreak of
World War II
, the island was taken over by the U.S. military, as well as all of the ships of the Wilmington Transportation Company. The SS
Avalon
was left behind for limited transportation to and from the mainland, while the SS
Catalina
and SS
Cabrillo
were taken to
San Francisco
Bay to serve as troop transports in the bay and surrounding areas.
After the war had ended, the SS
Catalina
was taken back to be used for ferry services to and from the island, while the
Cabrillo
was purchased by the U.S. Army who operated her until 1947 where she was brought to the
Cuttings Wharf
in
Napa, California
.
Steamer Cabrillo at Avalon
Current state
[
edit
]
The SS
Cabrillo
was put up for sale, but there were no buyers, so she was left in the Cuttings Wharf. Being stripped of all machinery and any other useful equipment, she was abandoned on the shores of the
Napa River
, beginning the final chapter of her life. Over the years, she has slowly deteriorated to almost nothing. She has been stripped of her entire superstructure, and today, nothing, if anything, is left but the hull.
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