SITE HISTORY: The first military presence at Two Harbors wasduring the Civil War. At least a company of California Volunteers (Federal troops raised by the Adjutant General of California) were stationed there to protect against Confederate raiders. During that time a barracks was built to house some of the Union soldiers. The barracks building is known today as the Isthmus Yacht Club. The last of the Union soldiers left on September 14, 1864.
Since that time, the history of the Two Harbors area has been difficult to determine from available sources. In the early 1920s and 30s, the area was a popular boating destination, and
many movies were filmed there as well. During World War II, much of Catalina Island was used for military training. Construction drawings and lease documents indicate that during the war the Two Harbors area was known as the U. S. Coast Guard Catalina Training Base which included 1,593.7 acres (R16W, T8S, Sections 30, 31, and 36, and R16W, T9S, Sections 1 and 2). These drawings indicate the Base as a U.S. Coast Guard Base under the jurisdiction of the 11th Naval District, Long Beach, California.
These construction drawings indicate; modification to the Civil War barracks (the Old Barracks), a new mess hall, dormitory, infirmary, showers, and approximately 75 temporary housing units. The construction drawings also indicate underground storage tanks for boilers, associated with the Old Barracks, the mess hall, and the infirmary. These UST locations were visually confirmed, during the site visit, by viewing the fill pipes, or by contact with the tank during previous water line installations. Oneadditional site has a suspected UST. This site was dentified by Michael Whitby, Santa Catalina Island Company, from his interviews with local residents.
After World War II, approximately early 1946, the area was under the control of the Santa Catalina Island Company.
