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    Venice in the 1920s
    Venice in the 1920s
    Venice in the 1920s
    Ebook187 pages50 minutes

    Venice in the 1920s

    By Gregg M Turner

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    About this ebook

    In the 1920s, a tremendous land boom gripped Florida, and waves of people descended upon the Sunshine State. Between just 1923and 1925 an estimated 300,000 people came to permanently settle in the state, and over a dozen new counties were created in this single decade. Fueled by postwar prosperity, tourists and new residents poured money into the state's economy and dramatically increased the demand for land, homes, hotels, industry, recreation, commerce, and services. At the height of the boom, when many believed that the bubble had to burst, there came news that a new resort city wasunder development on the Gulf Coast below Sarasota, and all eyes turned to Venice. Over the decades since its creation, Venice, with its balmy climate, unlimited boating and fishing, and pristine mainland beach, has grown to be a Mecca for thousands of tourists, snowbirds, and retirees. Carved out of a tropical wilderness by America's oldest and wealthiest union, the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers, Venice was made into a Gulf Coast oasis with Spanish-style architecture, beautiful landscaping, and a friendly network of tree-lined streets and boulevards. Visual documentation of this early era has captured a city in its infancy and a valuable piece of Venice's heritage.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherArcadia Publishing
    Release dateSep 18, 2012
    ISBN9781439627648
    Venice in the 1920s

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      Book preview

      Venice in the 1920s - Gregg M Turner

      486–2487

      INTRODUCTION

      Florida is a great laboratory of town and city planning and building. Almost everything that is good and everything that is bad is to be seen in the flesh.

      —City Planner John Nolen, 1926

      Over the decades Venice, Florida, has become a Mecca for tourists, transplants, and retirees. Located on the lower Gulf Coast below Sarasota, the city boasts a balmy climate, unlimited boating and fishing, and a famous ocean beach; further, many of its homes and buildings have a unique Spanish flavor and front on a friendly network of streets and parks. The City By the Gulf actually came of age during the spectacular Florida Land Boom of the 1920s. In the pages ahead we explore how this remarkable story unfolded, but our journey first begins with something about the Boom itself.

      Boom fever, which was fueled by money, newcomers, construction, promotions, and real estate, affected virtually every region of the Sunshine State. In fact, enough Florida land was subdivided during the era as to completely re-house the then-existing population of the United States. By the mid-1920s, no less than 24 new communities had surfaced along Florida’s extensive coastline. One of them was Venice.

      The Boom was largely financed by postwar prosperity. Farmers had grown rich meeting wartime demands, factory workers had accumulated savings, and many manufacturers and industrialists had made fortunes during the First World War. Bank deposits stood at record levels, which put bankers and financiers in an expansive mood. Once the armistice was signed, many Americans started to turn their thoughts toward travel and vacations, and there was no more of an inviting destination than sunny Florida—land of emerald waters, tropical flowers, and royal palms. Waves of people soon descended upon the Sunshine State. Many arrived in the family car (as Tin Can Tourists) but shiny limousines also came down Florida roadways like the Dixie Highway. Other newcomers traveled by airliner, boat, or private yacht. Countless, though, arrived by train—in coach, Pullman, and private rail cars. In fact the demand was so great during the Boom that new trains had to be introduced and extra sections added to existing runs.

      To the joy of Floridians, these vacationers and newcomers started to pour serious money into the state’s economy. Hotel, apartment, and lodge owners immediately benefited as did store proprietors and restaurateurs. Many snowbirds liked what they saw and decided to purchase a place in the sun, or at least buy land for a future home. This paved the way for numerous construction projects around the state. New subdivisions appeared and service industries flourished. Then, many folks started to speculate in real estate, buying something one year and selling it the next at a handsome profit. Others tried turning their investment the same season, the following month, or even the same day. Real estate success stories became commonplace and were circulated up North to friends and neighbors, who in turn came down to learn more about the Florida miracle. And in this way the frenzy began. Between 1923 and 1925 an estimated 300,000 people permanently settled into the Sunshine State. Over a dozen new counties were created during the Roaring Twenties, and it was estimated that in 1925 alone some 2.5 million people visited the state. Everyone, it seemed, wanted a piece of the new American El Dorado.

      It was between October and April of each year that Florida’s railroad companies made their real money. But in the spring of 1925, the normal lull did not occur. People from every section of the United States began to pour into Florida as never before, further increasing the demand for new accommodations, homes, and every kind of public utility. This prompted Florida’s merchants and contractors to order inventory far in excess of actual requirements. Train loads of materials and supplies were often shipped to the Empire in the Sun with no specific destination, changing hands many times while en route, and frequently reaching a locale where no service tracks or warehouse facilities existed. The result? Thousands of freight cars became stranded, occupying every available track, tying up rail yards, and choking the movement of traffic. To relieve the congestion, the Big Three railroads (Atlantic Coast Line, Seaboard Air Line, and Florida East Coast) called for a statewide embargo that took effect on October 29, 1925. Traffic was halted except for shipments of foodstuffs, fuel, and a few essential commodities. When the embargo was called, nearly 4,000 freight cars were jammed at the Jacksonville yards (the nerve center of the state), and another 10,000 were ordered to be held at various points between Washington, D.C., Cincinnati, St. Louis, and New Orleans. Traffic experts from around the country were rushed in to untangle the mess, but it was not until May of the following year that order was restored. By then, though, the Boom had ended.

      More than one developer made their reputation during the Boom era. George Merrick conceived the model suburb of

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