Mt. Ada to host Holiday Open House, Dec. 7

AVALON ― One of the most iconic buildings on Catalina Island will host a holiday open house, Dec. 7.

Mt. Ada, known to many as the Wrigley House, will be open for tours on the first Thursday of December. The Catalina Island Co., Rotary Club of Avalon and Catalina Island Foundation are collectively present the open house, which starts at 2 p.m. on Dec. 7; the open house will continue through 6 p.m.

Ticket holders will be able to tour the Wrigley home, win raffle prizes and buy a chance to stay the night at Mt. Ada.

Cookies, drinks and music will be on hand during the four-hour open house; Santa Claus will also be on hand.

Mt. Ada – currently a bed-and-breakfast – served as the Avalon residence of William Wrigley and his wife, Ada.

The Georgian Colonial Mansion was completed in 1921 as a three-story structure. The third level was eventually removed, however.

Wrigley’s mansion was open for touring through the 1960s, when it was granted to the University of Southern California. Mt. Ada reverted back to a touring destination in 1985, when a private vendor was granted a lease to operate the mansion as a bed-and-breakfast.

Tickets are $5 per person; all ticket holders can take a taxi, which will run continuously from the Tour Plaza to Mt. Ada, starting at 1:45 p.m. The last taxi leaves Mt. Ada at 6:45 p.m.

Contact the Catalina Island Foundation at 310-427-2450 or email info@catalinaislandfoundation.org to purchase tickets or volunteer for the event.

Mt. Ada is located at 398 Wrigley Road in Avalon.

Photo Credit: Catalina Island Co.