William Wrigley
William Wrigley, Jr. (September 30, 1861–January 26, 1932) was a U.S. chewing gum industrialist. He was founder and namesake of the Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company.
He was born in Philadelphia in 1891. William Wrigley played an instrumental role in the history of Catalina Island, off the shore of Los Angeles, California. He bought the island in 1919 and improved the island with public utilities, new steamships, a hotel, the Casino building, and extensive plantings of trees, shrubs and flowers. However, William Wrigley Jr.’s greatest legacy was his plan for the future of Catalina Island — that it remain protected for all generations to enjoy. For this, he is honored with the Wrigley Memorial in the Wrigley Botanical Gardens on the island.
Wrigley was also owner of the Chicago Cubs baseball team, which held its annual spring training on Catalina Island. Wrigley Field, the Cubs’ ballpark in Chicago, is named for the owner. The now-demolished former home of the Los Angeles Angels of the Pacific Coast League, at that time the Cubs’ top farm team, was also called Wrigley Field.
William Wrigley left everything to his son, P.K. Wrigley, who continued to run the company businesses for the next 45 years until his death.
Another detailed profile of William Wrigley
Homepage of The Catalina Island Conservancy
Story and profile of Wrigley Field