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Comes assic by Hynda Rudd, l Tales From the City Archives City Archivist (Retired), C Alive! and Club Member

‘ of America’ – A Cultural Theme Park

Venice in 1905. The Ship Café.

enice, California’s historic entrance into paid $175,000 for the property. There they racetrack and golf course not far from his of the American Society of Landscape VCalifornia geography dates back to the built a beach resort called Ocean Park. In Ocean Park Country Club. Architects. He was also the initiator of the La Ballona Rancho period of the 1870s. time with new partners added to the scheme In 1898, the City of Santa Monica gave City Beautiful Movement, with its inception Property along the seaside of the Pacific of things, Kinney chose the marshy, unde- Kinney and his partner permission to build a in the eastern United States. Ocean had been considered of primary veloped southern half of the tract to build 1250-foot-long pier at Pier Avenue. The pier The” Venice of America” plan also fol- interest to all who had the good fortune to his “Venice of America.” The county territo- would sit on pilings already used to carry lowed the same model found at the Chicago acquire the land. ry consisted of sand dunes and wetlands. In Santa Monica’s 200-foot-long outfall sewer. World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago, The story begins with Abbot Kinney. He time and great effort, Abbot Kinney would Kinney’s pier provided two goals: one, to although much smaller. The Chicago extrav- was an easterner born in 1850, who had have his dream come true to build a recre- have a pleasure place for fisherman and aganza was also built on marshy land on the been a world traveler working in a family ational area reminiscent of Venice, , on tourists; and two, to protect and lengthen shore of Lake Michigan. The Venice plan owned tobacco business in . the shores of the Pacific. the sewage pipes seaward as to not pollute included a planned community that separat- On one of his travels he sailed to , These future partners realized that mak- their property to the south. Incredibly, the ed the business and commercial areas from where he stayed for a few months before ing this resort park a success would mean project was finished within six weeks. residential living. In Summer 1904, Abbot traveling back home. By the time he reached transporting people from the cities of Los Tragedy occurred before the completion Kinney began contracting for excavation of in 1880, a heavy blizzard in Angeles and Santa Monica by means of a of the grand plan. Francis Ryan, Kinney’s canals and building a pier, designing and the Sierra Mountains blocked the trains railroad system that would be a direct line partner, died of a sudden heart attack. His building of a Ship Hotel and other principal from heading east. and inexpensive. Santa Monica business- wife soon remarried. Thomas Dudley buildings. While Kinney waited for the railroad men were concerned that Kinney’s dream became a new partner for Abbot Kinney. He “Venice of America” was an instant suc- tracks to clear, he heard of a health resort in would prove a competition to their North was a Santa Monica businessman and politi- cess. It opened on the Fourth of July, 1905. Sierra Madre. Kinney suffered from asthma Beach resort and convinced Colis cian. By 1902, Dudley sold his partnership Visitors were entranced by his intricate and insomnia. After spending some time at Huntington of the Southern Pacific for $400,000 to three new partners men- canals. The electric trolley would bring the resort, he realized that this was where he Railroad to be uncooperative. With that tioned above. Even with the recent alliance, throngs of people from Santa Monica and wanted to live. He purchased 550 acres in understanding, Kinney contacted the rival there was continued fear that Kinney’s resort downtown . The architecture the foothills, built a mansion and planted Santa Fe Railroad to extend their Inglewood would take business away from the local had an ornate Venetian Renaissance design. 6,000 citrus trees and 20,000 seedless grape line to his resort. In turn, he donated 12 North Beach resort. Unfortunately, Kinney There was an active business district with a vines. acres for the railroad right of way. The first did not get along with the three partners. huge auditorium and a Ship Café. Guests In time he realized he wanted a cooler train began its operation on June 12, 1892. The new partners refused to support any were given tours of the resort by a miniature summer home for his family near the Pacific Within the next year, Kinney and his of his projects. First, they were not interest- steam railroad or by gondolas. Swimming Ocean. In 1886, to escape the heat of Los partner advertised 25-by-100-foot lots fea- ed in making enemies of the local con- was available in the ocean or at Kinney’s salt Angeles, he built a home in Santa Monica. turing piped water for $100. To entice buy- stituents in Santa Monica over a newly con- water plunge lagoon, where the guests could Kinney was a wise businessman and ers to purchase lots, three small four-room sidered Abbot Kinney trolley company. listen to band concerts. became interested in land development cottages were built and given away through Second, the partners were more concerned Eventually, the resort was expanded by along the coast. His first endeavor in nearby a lottery. The lots sold well, even though about losing money in the Casino restaurant enlarging the amusement pier. Abbot Pacific Palisades failed because of an 1888 these were difficult financial times. Tents and vaudeville theater. Finally, they did not Kinney also became very influential in local real estate market crash. were then erected on unsold lots and made approve of Kinney’s ideas on how to develop politics when, in May 1911, he was able to In 1891, Kinney and a business partner, available to campers for summer rentals. the southern wetlands. But Kinney’s dream have the name changed from Ocean Park to Francis Ryan, bought a controlling interest In May 1895, the community was named would nevertheless come true. Venice, its own city. But in November 1925, in Ocean Park Casino, which was really a Ocean Park, California. The community was After Kinney ended his partnership in Los Angeles annexed Venice to become a restaurant and tennis club. The same year slow in growth, but by the spring of 1898, the Ocean Park Improvement Company, he community within the City. they purchased a one-and-a-half mile long there were approximately 150 lots sold. Also, took title to the underdeveloped marshy Over the years, the amusement park, tract that was 1000 feet deep facing the that year the area had a business boom that southern property in Winter 1904. This is vis-à-vis Venice, went through a number of Pacific Ocean south of Santa Monica. They provided Kinney the incentive to build a when he made definite plans for his “Venice changes. In 1911, one of Abbot Kinney’s of America” beach resort. At former partners built a “Million Dollar" that time there was a nation- amusement park. In 1920, Abbot Kinney wide plan referred to as the passed away; his amusement pier burned. In City Beautiful Movement, 1924, the Ocean Park pier complex burned. which incorporated planned In 1930, oil was discovered in Venice. In communities with spacious 1946, the Venice amusement Pier closed. In public areas. He also realized 1964, Los Angeles demolished 550 build- that most of the best seaside ings in historic Venice. In 1967, Pacific resorts were back east, and Ocean Park went bankrupt after being necessary to investigate. rebuilt. And, in 1977, Venice regained its Eventually, he hired an appren- popularity as the “Roller Skating Capital of tice from the Fredrick Law the World.” Olmstead Jr. firm. Olmstead was highly regarded as one of the most famous landscape Photos (except that of Abbot Kinney) are from the architects in the country. He Security Pacific Collection, Los Angeles Public Library was founder and first president Photo Archive, courtesy Carolyn Cole, Director. The Venice Auditorium. Abbot Kinney.