The SS Avalon is a passenger stream ship built in 1891 which now lies in 70–75 feet of water, in Palos Verdes, California as of September 16, 1964.
This 269 foot, 1,606 ton steel vessel was first built in May 1891 in Cleveland, Ohio by Globe Iron Works. She was launched with the name S.S. Virginia as a passenger steamer owned by The Goodrich Transit Company (serving the Great Lakes area), that transported passengers from Chicago to Milwaukee. In 1918, the Navy requisitioned her to support the war effort. Renamed USS Blue Ridge, she was to be converted to a troop transport. She had to be reassembled after passing through the St. Lawrence River Locks because her stern was 6 ft (2 m) too big and her bow had to be removed. In 1919 while on stand-by in Boston Harbor, she was deemed as surplus by the government and sold to William Wrigley, Jr. and brought to the west coast.
She arrived at the Catalina terminal from New York by way of the Panama Canal April 5, 1920 after a refit and name change to S.S Avalon. She made the first of thousands of channel crossings to Catalina. Fast, plush and comfortable and a capacity of 3,000 passengers, the Avalon was the way to visit Catalina. She was not debuted until April 15, 1920 upon the arrival William Wrigley, Jr. She was sent off in style with a 32 piece orchestra and was dubbed "Queen of the Channel". The guest list of 150 consisted of The Banning Family (former owners of Catalina Island), Catalina Island Company, and media.