What is the history of Santa Catalina Island, California?
Prior to the modern era the island was inhabited by people of the Gabrielino/Tongva tribe, who also lived in the area of Los Angeles, had villages near present day San Pedro, Los Angeles, CaliforniaSan Pedro and Playa del Rey, Los Angeles, CaliforniaPlaya del Rey, and who regularly traveled back and forth to Catalina for trade. The Tongva called the island Pimu or Pimungna. The Gabrielino/Tongva are renowned for their mining, working and trade of soapstone which was found in great quantities and varieties on the Island. This material was in high demand and was traded up and down the California coast. The first European to ever set foot on the island was the Portuguese explorer Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, sailing for Spain. This happened on October 7, 1542. He claimed the island for Spain and christened it San Salvador. Another Spanish explorer, Sebastian Vizcaino, rediscovered the island on the eve of Catherine of AlexandriaSaint Catherine’s day (November 24) in 1602. He renamed it Santa
