Venice Florida Timeline

Venice Historical Timeline 

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1800's

1867 -  John & Eliza Webb and children settled at Webb’s Point, Osprey
1868 -  Rev. Jesse Knight, wife Caroline, and family arrived
1871 -  Robert Roberts established residence on the south side of the bay named for him
1881  - Frank Higel came to the area
1881  - John S. Blackburn settled in the area now called Nokomis
1888  - Establishment of Venice Post Office in area now called Nokomis
1896  - First permanent school erected near what is now Jesse Knight Memorial Cemetery

1900 - 1950's

1903  - Laurel Post Office began operations (closed 1909). Rev. Jesse Knight deeded property for Knight’s Chapel (Methodist Episcopal) the first church

1910  - Bertha Honore Palmer acquired 140,000 acres (including most of current Venice) in what was then known as South Manatee County

1911  - Seaboard Airline Railway extended to current Venice

1912  - A waterway dredged from Venice to Sarasota

1915  - Sarasota-Venice Company had a plat surveyed and filed for the town of Venice. A bond issue was passed to construct a permanent road from Sarasota to Venice

1916  - Eagle Point Camp began operating

1917  - Dr. & Mrs. Fred Albee purchased land from Sarasota-Venice Company

1918  - Community of Manasota founded

1921  - Manasota renamed Woodmere by the Nocatee-Manatee Freight Company

1925  - Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers purchased land from the Albees and began development of Venice

1927  - City of Venice incorporated by Florida Legislature

1928  - Tamiami Trail opened. - Florida development boom ended and Venice “became a ghost town.” 

1930  - Venice-Nokomis High School's first graduating class had eight students. - Fire destroys Woodmere Sawmill and property is abandoned

1932  - Kentucky Military Institute moved its winter headquarters to Venice.

1933  - Florida Medical Center opened in converted Park View Hotel

1937  - Venice Jetties constructed and channel between them dredged

1942  - Venice Army Air Base established and airport built

1946  - Gondolier printed first issue of newspaper

1952  - Development of South Venice began - Venice Hospital dedicated

1953  - Venice Elementary School opened

1955  - Venice High School opened

1960 - Present

1960

Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus relocated winter headquarters to Venice

1965

Construction of final section of Intracoastal Waterway (from Dona Bay to Alligator Creek)

1966

Opening of Venice Bypass (U.S. 41 Bypass)

1967

Dedication of completed West Coast Intracoastal Waterway

1970

Kentucky Military Institute closes Venice operations

1971

Last Seaboard Coastline Railroad passenger train service to Venice

1989

City Hall rebuilt, police station relocated, fire station 2 built

1991

Final Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus performance at Venice winter headquarters

1994

First phase of the Venice beach nourishment project from Venice Jetties south to Gulf Manor, Oct. 24, 1994 to Nov. 27, 1994

1996

Final phase of original Venice beach nourishment project from Gulf Manor south to just past the Venice Fishing Pier.

2001

Paw Park at Brohard Park becomes first dog park on the beach in Sarasota County

2002

Patriots Park created.

2004

Venice Fishing Pier rebuilt. - Three-year state widening of U.S. 41 Business, Hatchett Creek Bridge and Circus Bridge (renamed from South Bridge) completed.

2005

Restoration of historic Venice Train Station completed. - First of five beach re-nourishments completed. - Venice Community Center renovated.

2007

Venetian Waterway Park opens.

2008

Legacy Trail opens.

2011

Legacy Trail Overpass completed.

Venice Ave. roundabout opens.

2012

Inaugural Rev 3 Triathlon competition (Oct).

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