This was the original site of Blates of Venice Wearing Apparel. The Nickel Building was built for $22,000. There were two stores on the main floor and four apartments on the second floor. It was built of hollow clay blocks and a red barrel tile roof. The building was designed by Guy Johnson. It was built by Carey and Walters of Plant City.

     .  The Boissevan Building was the first commercial structure in Venice.  It was completed in August 1926.  Construction is hollow clay tile and brick with steel reinforcing beams. It was constructed for 2 retail stores on the first floor and several offices on the second floor.Original first floor tenants included Dawson Furniture Company and Venice Hardware Company.

     At one time the Venice News (first Venice newspaper )had offices in the building.

     Current Tenants include: Hazeltine Insurance Group, Kilwin’s Ice Cream, Luxurious Interiors, Massages, Facials

Located at 201–203 West Venice Avenue is the building known as the Johnson Schoolcraft Building (aka the Venice Pharmacy Building). It was built in 1926 at a cost of $45,000. The building style is Mission/Spanish Revival

It was built to accommodate 5 stores on the first floor and apartments on the second floor. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1996.

Entrance into Bridge

Circus Bridge

Circus Bridge Venice, Florida

Entrance into Circus Bridge

Intracoastal Waterway Venice

Intracoastal Waterway Venice

Intracoastal Waterway

View of the Venice Municipal Waterway

View Across the Waterway

Sign for Caspersen Park

     Venice Municipal Airport is a general aviation facility.  It is located on 835 acres located along the Gulf of Mexico.   It  has two intersecting 5000 feet runways.    They are 150 feet wide.    It averages 90,000 take offs and landings each year.  It is currently owned by the city of Sarasota.

Venice Municipal Airport was built in the 1940’s by the U.S.  government as a flight training facility.    After the war, the facility was given to the city of Venice

Heritage Trail Bridge

Eagle Point Club

Eagle Point Club

 

KMI Bridge Opened

    The history of Sarasota Jungle Gardens extends back to the 1930’s.  A local newspaper man named David Breed purchased 10 acres of land just west of highway US 41.  His plan was was to convert the area into a botanical garden.  A friend Pearson Conrad who owned an adjacent plot of land became involved with the project. He developed plans for streams, lakes an additional plantings from his nursery.

     The two men imported thousands of tropical plant ,trees and flowers from all over the world.    They chose these to blend harmoniously with native species.  In 1936, the owners became aware that people were wandering through the manicured jungle.  They began to charge a 10 cent admission charge for children and 35 cents for adults.  On New Years Eve 1939, Sarasota Gardens officially opened to the public.  It attracted ocal visitors as well as tourists.
     Over the years, Sarasota Jungle Gardens changed hands many times. in 1971,  it was purchased by Arthur Allyn.  It is currently operated by Allen’s Dorothy Tinney and her family.

     Over the years, several of the previous owners lived on the grounds in what is now the Flamingos Cafe.  The Koi Pond was previously a swimming pool.  A new admission  building and gift shop were added.