Title supplied by cataloger. In 1928 William Wrigley, Jr. built the Santa Catalina Bird Park in the Avalon Canyon, which covered eight full acres of land. The "world's largest birdcage" was constructed from the steel structure of the Sugarloaf dance pavilion, that had previously been torn down to make way for the famous Catalina Casino. Over 500 cages of varying sizes housed over 8,000 different species of rare and exotic birds from all over the world, making the Bird Park the Island's most popular attraction. During WWII the Bird Park was significantly scaled back because visitation to the Island was limited, and the Park never regained its pre-war vitality. After dazzling visitors and bird lovers for over thirty-five years, the Bird Park was forced to close its doors in 1966; the birds were transferred to the Los Angeles Zoo. What was once the "world's largest birdcage" is now a playground for Avalon Preschool. View 2: Photograph shows a rustic orchid bird crossing a small pong and a large white bird, possibly an egret, in the foreground. This is just one of the aviaries located at the Santa Catalina Bird Park, in Santa Catalina Island. Photograph dated: June 1931.
Type
Image
Format
1 photographic print :b&w ;10 x 12 cm. on sheet 26 x 21 cm. Photographic prints
Cage birds--California--Santa Catalina Island Aviaries--California--Santa Catalina Island Islands--California, Southern Birds--California--Santa Catalina Island Santa Catalina Island (Calif.) Avalon (Calif.)
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