▁ ▁The ▁United ▁States ▁military ▁began ▁to ▁use ▁Santa ▁Cruz ▁Island ▁during ▁World ▁War ▁II , ▁and ▁has ▁constructed ▁and ▁maintained ▁strateg ic ▁install ations ▁on ▁the ▁island . ▁Like ▁all ▁of ▁the ▁Channel ▁Islands , ▁Santa ▁Cruz ▁Island ▁was ▁used ▁as ▁an ▁early ▁warning ▁out post ▁for ▁obser ving ▁enemy ▁plan es ▁and ▁ships ▁during ▁World ▁War ▁II . ▁During ▁the ▁Cold ▁War ▁a ▁communic ations ▁station ▁was ▁installed ▁as ▁a ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁Pacific ▁Miss ile ▁Range ▁Fac ility . ▁This ▁station ▁remains ▁in ▁operation , ▁although ▁not ▁at ▁the ▁levels ▁of ▁use ▁seen ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 5 0 s ▁and ▁ 1 9 6 0 s . ▁ ▁National ▁Park ▁and ▁Nature ▁Conserv ancy ▁preserve ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 3 6 ▁the ▁C aire ▁family ▁reported ly ▁offered ▁their ▁ 9 0 % ▁of ▁the ▁island ▁for ▁$ 7 5 0 , 0 0 0 ▁to ▁the ▁state ▁of ▁California ▁for ▁use ▁as ▁a ▁state ▁or ▁federal ▁park . ▁Nothing ▁came ▁of ▁this ▁proposal , ▁and ▁the ▁property ▁was ▁sold ▁to ▁Ed win ▁St anton . ▁St anton ' s ▁son ▁and ▁he ir ▁was ▁not ▁interested ▁in ▁a ▁government ▁purchase ▁of ▁his ▁island . ▁He ▁took ▁steps ▁to ▁avoid ▁such ▁events ▁by ▁for ging ▁an ▁agreement ▁with ▁The ▁Nature ▁Conserv ancy , ▁and ▁the ▁property ▁was ▁transferred ▁to ▁the ▁organization ▁upon ▁his ▁death ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 7 . ▁Although ▁Santa ▁Cruz ▁Island ▁is ▁included ▁within ▁the ▁boundaries ▁of ▁Channel ▁Islands ▁National ▁Park , ▁The