California’s crumbling replica of Venice is still worth seeing

Abbot Kinney’s Venice of America Canal Experiment

In 1902, tobacco tycoon Abbot Kinney had a wild dream: build Venice, Italy in California. He spent a fortune to turn 1,200 acres of marsh into a canal city with seven waterways and grand buildings.

Workers dug up 100,000 cubic yards of sand while architects Norman Marsh and Clarence Russell crafted Venetian-style structures.

Kinney even brought real gondolas and Italian gondoliers who sang as they rowed guests through the canals. When Venice of America opened on July 4, 1905, some 20,000 folks showed up to see this marvel.

The historic canal district still stands today, where you can stroll across the same bridges that once linked Kinney’s ambitious American Venice.

A Tobacco Millionaire Built His Own Venice in California

Abbot Kinney bought 1,200 acres of swampy California coastline in 1891 with a wild dream. The tobacco tycoon wanted to create a “Venice of America” with canals, gondolas, and Italian buildings.

Kinney first teamed up with Francis Ryan to buy the land, but after Ryan died, he took on the big project by himself.

He didn’t just want to copy Italy’s famous city – he wanted to make a place where art and culture could thrive right on the Pacific coast.

Experts from the East Coast Designed the Canal City

Kinney sent his building boss Frank Durham to check out popular beach resorts on the East Coast for ideas. He hired someone who trained under Frederick Law Olmstead to create the main plan for his canal city.

Architects Norman Marsh and Clarence Russell joined to design buildings that looked truly Venetian.

The team turned Kinney’s rough sketches and big ideas into detailed plans for a canal community unlike anything California had seen before.

Workers Moved Mountains of Sand to Create Waterways

Construction teams began digging in July 1904, taking on the huge job of carving canals through coastal marshland.

They dug out over 100,000 cubic yards of sand and soil to create more than two miles of connected waterways. The seven canals got fancy names: Aldebaran, Altair, Cabrillo, Coral, Grand, Lion, and Venus.

These waterways shaped four islands, including the tiny United States Island.

Salt Water Flowed Through Clever Pipes and Valves

Engineer Fremont Ackerman fixed the tough problem of keeping the canals filled with clean, flowing water. He created a system with a 500-foot pipe connecting to the Pacific Ocean.

Two huge 36-inch pipes brought salt water into the canals, working with the natural tides to refresh the water twice daily.

This smart design kept the canals clean and perfect for the gondolas that would soon glide through them.

Buildings Looked Like They Came Straight From Italy

The buildings around the canals copied the famous Plaza San Marco in Venice, Italy. Covered walkways with columns lined the streets, creating shady paths for visitors.

The style featured arched windows and fancy details.

Kinney built a 1,200-foot pier with an auditorium, ship-shaped restaurant, dance hall, and hot salt-water swimming pool.

The look made visitors feel they had stepped into a European city rather than a new California development.

Real Gondolas Crossed the Ocean to California

Kinney bought real Venetian gondolas and shipped them across the Atlantic and through the Panama Canal to California. These flat-bottomed boats were made for shallow canals, with their curved shape and fancy decorations.

The gondolas became the main way to get around in Venice of America, carrying visitors through the canals just like in Italy.

Tourists lined up for rides in these unusual boats that seemed so out of place in early 1900s California.

Italian Boatmen Sang While Rowing Through California

The gondolas needed real gondoliers, so Kinney hired skilled boatmen straight from Venice, Italy. These Italian gondoliers brought their skills, songs, and customs to California.

They wore striped shirts and straw hats while singing in Italian as they guided boats through the canals.

The sight of real Italian gondoliers rowing through California waterways created the romantic feel Kinney wanted for his cultural project.

Thousands Watched as Water Filled the Empty Canals

Mrs. Kinney turned the valve on June 30, 1905, sending ocean water rushing into the empty canals at 500 gallons per second.

The grand opening celebration started on July 4, 1905, bringing 20,000 curious visitors over four days.

People came from all over Southern California to see this strange new Venice with its water-filled streets and Italian buildings.

The opening included boat parades, music, and speeches celebrating Kinney’s dream come true.

Visitors Found Culture, Food, and Swimming

The Venice auditorium hosted talks, concerts, and shows that matched Kinney’s vision of cultural rebirth. A ship-shaped restaurant served food with ocean views, and a dance hall offered nighttime fun.

The hot salt-water pool became popular with visitors who wanted to swim in heated seawater. A full block of shops sold souvenirs, food, and services to the crowds that flocked to this unusual spot.

Homes Popped Up Along the Watery Streets

The islands created by the canals soon attracted rich folks who built homes along the waterways.

United States Island and other canal areas became hot spots for people who wanted the unique experience of living in “California’s Venice. ” Fancy houses lined the canals, many with their own docks for small boats.

Residents could step out their front doors and travel by boat to visit neighbors or head to the beach.

Most Canals Got Paved Over as Cars Took Over

Venice was annexed by Los Angeles in 1925, just two years after Kinney died.

By 1929, the city filled in many of the original canals to create roads for the growing number of automobiles.

Only a small section of the original waterway network survived, with the remaining canals designated as the Venice Canal Historic District in 1982.

Today, these surviving waterways offer a glimpse of what Abbot Kinney’s full vision looked like before cars and urban development transformed his Venice of America into just another Los Angeles neighborhood.

Visiting Venice Street, California

You can explore the remnants of Abbot Kinney’s 1905 Venice of America experiment for free year-round between Pacific Avenue and Venice Boulevard.

Walk the six remaining canals in 45-60 minutes to see where Italian gondoliers once navigated authentic Venetian waterways through marshland transformed into an elaborate canal city.

Canal Pals offers weekend canoe rentals, and the Venice Canal Association hosts seasonal events like the July 4th rubber duck race celebrating the original opening date.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

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