Our family's migration from Plymouth Rock to Venice Beach began in with the arrival of the Mayflower and ended in 1924 in Los Angeles. From the historic colonies of the east coast to the Scotch-Irish and German settlements of Pennsylvania, to the rich farmland of Northern Ohio and Illinois and on to the homesteads of the Nebraska prairie, our family built communities, served as Commissioners, Supervisors, Judges, Doctors, worked their farms and raised their families. This page will give some brief histories
and links to the counties and towns that our ancestors help establish. This is a work in
progress - please keep checking back. Don't forget to click the photos for a better view |
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Experience Plimoth Plantation. Learn how the Pilgrims lived and have fun with on-line activities.
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"Venice of America," was the dream of Abbot Kinney. (Abbot Kinney Biography) Looking across the marshland and sand dunes he envisioned waterways and Gondolas. Venice of America would consist of a series of canals, two miles long. The largest, "The Grand Canal," was 70 feet wide, 4 feet deep, and 1/2 mile long. The excavation of this canal alone included the removal of 100,000 cubic yards of sand. The canals were built with a several inch slope and were connected to the Pacific Ocean by two large pipes. These pipes filled twice a day by the rising tides that kept the canals filled and clean. At the foot of Windward Avenue was an 8-foot deep saltwater lagoon that served as a swimming pool for 5000 bathers. Just beyond the lagoon were a Casino, a Ballroom, and the Pier. The grand opening of "Venice of America" was on July 2, 1905. Total cost to turn sand and marsh into a thriving community, where Gondoliers serenaded young lovers along the canals, $580,385. In 1929 part of the canals, including "The Grand Canal" and the lagoon, were filled in. The canals south of Venice Blvd. remain even today and are part of the eclectic history of Venice, California.
This mural on the side of a building near Windward and near what used to be the
Grand Canal depicts that area as it may have appeared in 1905 View
additional Venice Photos I
was born in a Torrance, California hospital but was raised in Venice. I still feel a
strong bond to this area of California where I grew up, and went to school. I
believe it was is unique culture of Venice that influenced me greatly. As a child I
recall the beatniks in the coffee shops that lined the beachfront and later in the 1960's
you couldn't help to be caught up in the "Flower Power" era, and to this day I
carry with me some of those values from that era. |
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 The canal taken from the "car bridges" |
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 Fire Department at Shell Ave. and Venice Blvd. |
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Bradshaw, Nebraska |
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