S.S. CATALINA
Also known as: Great White Steamer
Why it's listed
Berthed at Berth 96 in Los Angeles Harbor, the S.S. Catalina is a steel passenger steamer christened on May 23, 1924, for the run to Catalina Island. She is about 301 feet long, carried up to 1,950 passengers on three decks, and had a ballroom with a live orchestra, a leather-furnished salon deck and a stateroom for William Wrigley. Her twenty lifeboats were placed on a lower deck to leave the top deck clear for viewing and to improve stability. The vessel mattered for two reasons. In World War II she served as a troop carrier around San Francisco and carried 820,199 men, more than any other Army transport. She was also the first harbor craft in the San Francisco Bay area with navigational radar. After the war she returned to the island service and outlasted her sister ships. Her original triple expansion steam engine is described as the only operational one under U.S. registry. Ferry runs ended in 1975.
Significance in brief: The ship was built for William Wrigley's service to Catalina Island and is the only surviving vessel of the original fleet. She carried more troops than any other Army transport in World War II, with 820,199 men. She also has what the nomination calls the only operational triple expansion reciprocating steam engine under U.S. registry.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 76000495, listed September 1, 1976. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Berth 96, Los Angeles Harbor, San Pedro |
|---|---|
| County | Los Angeles County |
| Listed | September 1, 1976 |
| Reference number | 76000495 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | 1924-present |
| Architect / builder | Builder: Babcock and Wilcox; engine builder: Hoover-Owens and Rentschlor of Hamilton, Ohio |
| Areas of significance | Military, Engineering, Transportation |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The ship stopped making ferry runs in the summer of 1975 but was reported to be in excellent operating condition and not being used for anything at the time. She rests at Berth 96. |
| Coordinates | 33.74956, -118.27402 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 76000495.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7393340
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.