The objective is to produce and publish comprehensive chronologies built around objective social political and cultural categories based upon primary, anecdotal and official written materials, so that the people of the Venice community can re-imagine themselves using the mirror of the past. No overarching narratives are provided.

History of Venice of America Volume #1

Essentializations - Vignettes - Paraphrases -

These 'essentializations or little stories make up the body of the chronologies. Examples below have been taken at random from both volumes.

There are 924 'essentializations' in History of the Venice Canals.

There are 759 'essentializatons' in History of Venice Politics: 1919-1939.

Also included are many never before presented original cartoons, photographs and maps.

Examples from the published chronologies:

CANALS

Letter to the Editor: Venice Vanguard June 26, 1913

Having observed your willingness to publish suggestions of general interest to Venetians, I should like to make a few observations regarding the canal system of our city.

Like a great many other citizens of Venice I purchased lots with canal frontage with the intention of building a home there. But also like a great many other citizens, as I became more familiar with conditions in the canal district and the outlook for the future, I reconsidered.

Venice of America possesses a unique, individual characteristic that makes it different from other cities of the Pacific Coast. It is not the beach with its long level lines of sand; it is not its excellent amusement pier; it is not its excellent business houses or beautiful bungalows.

But Venice, in order to be Venice, must successfully maintain the distinguishing features of Venice Italy, and this of course means its beautiful canals.

But these canals of ours, choked up as they are with weeds and rubbish won't prove much of an attraction for those desiring to build. The various methods employed in an attempt to keep them clean and the expense of labor and machine to rake the weeks away all seem to fall short of the requirements.

Why not fix up the canals? Why not clean up the canals in such a way that it would be permanent?

This could be done by draining off the water and cementing the bottoms, as you would a street. The expense now each year for keeping the canals clean is in the neighborhood of $8,000.00 This sum would soon cover the cost of the cement work and Venice would have a canal system worthy of the name. Why put all the improvements on Windward Avenue or on the bulkhead?

Let's put some money into something which makes Venice Venice. And since I am a property owner on the sand as well as on the canals, I can so advise without showing partiality to any particular part of your city.

December 21, 1921

When the canal superintendent realized that the Venice sewer had burst he drained the canals thus enabling them to act as receptacles for the flood. Five inches of rain fell in Venice yesterday, and about 18 inches at Mt. Wilson, so the flood danger is real.

December 10, 1924

The City was given a deed to the Grand Canal south of Venice Blvd by George Dickenson and the Washington Blvd Beach Co. Dickinson's offices are located in Santa Monica.

June 2, 1933

Discovering that her property on Howland Avenue is slipping away into the canal, a Venice woman has asked the City of Los Angeles to take some action to provide for the repair of the canal retaining walls.

The request, after going thru the usual lengthy rountine, finally ended up in the City Attorney's Office. These legal gentlemen rendered an opinion to the effect that there was no direct law requiring the City to make such repairs, and it now appears that noting will be done unless the City Council passes another law making such work mandatory.

Were Venice an independent municipality, as in the old days, the complainant would have gone before the City Council, presented her demand, and, if nothing happened, she could continue the campaign until the councilmen capitulated.

Such things are impossible within Los Angeles There are too many people, too many officials, and too many requests. Anybody in Venice ho has had dealings with the City of Los Angeles since annexation knows this already.

Politics: Annexation and Secession Movements in Venice 1919-1939

May 20, 1921

Police Chief Loomis and Officer William Ostroff of the Venice Police were indicted by the Federal Grand Jury on charges of assault with intent to do bodily harm. Complaint against them was by Manuel Holquin, a Mexican dancer who as lived for some time in Santa Monica.

According to testimony presented at the Grand Jury, Holquin was beaten after being arrested on a charge of intoxication. His jaw was broken.

Witnesses reported that Holquin was truck in the face and hit several times by Chief Loomis and that his jaw was broken to two places. Ostroff is also reported to have beaten Hollquin. He lost several teeth and the use of one eye, although this is not thought to be a permanent injury.

June 14, 1921

Mayor Coles has resigned. This news hit the city like a thunderbolt. Some say he has threatened to resign many times to get away from the constant criticism and investigations into City affairs.

Trustee Lutz now says that Chief Loomis must go. Another Trustee says that Attorney Lyon must go. This in the wake of Mayor Coles' resignation. The remaining 4 Trustees have the power to appoint a new trustee and the presiding officer of the Board. But a faction in Venice is arguing that a special election must be called. Trustees Harrah and Hollbrook are now lined up again Trustees Gerety and Lutz.

May 23, 1930

To round out half a century of unfailing service to his customers and steady progress in the extension if its business is the privledge this year of the Santa Monica Dairy Company

The Santa Monica Diary was established in 1880 in Santa Monica. Later it was moved to Santa Monica Canyon, and finally to the 180 acre tract ranch between Venice and Culver City, where it has been established for the past thirty ears.

It is on this property that the company has built up and maintained one of the world famed Certified Farms distinctive of Southern California. Known as The Edgemar Farms, it lends its name not only to the company's certified and guaranteed grades of milk, but also to the other dairy products which it distributes. From the farm the various milk products are taken to the main plant at 346 Rose Avenue, where are located both the pasteurizing equipment and the general offices. A branch office is located in Beverly Hills.

Herman Michel, Mayor of Santa Monica, who started out as a driver of the company's only delivery vehicle, is today president, a position which he has held ever since 1892.

January 16, 1925

Los Angeles County Undersheriff Eugene Biscailuz lives at 1544 Rialto Ave, in Venice.

December 8, 1925

Venice consolidated with L.A. and that part of Venice within its municipal boundaries became part of the L.A. School District. However, the school district went beyond the municipal boundaries. Some of the other parts have joined the L.A. district except for La Ballona and Playa Del Rey, and petitions are now being circulated to allow those children to attend the L.A. school system.

December 10, 1925

The Federation of Venice Civic Associations, following a report of its Board of Directors, will not revive opposition to filling in the canals or the improvement of North Trolleyway. They are also opposed to letting the garbage contract go to Mr. Sarkisian. A few days later the Federation said that the report in the Vanguard was exaggerated and misleading.

Dec 12. Vanguard Editor Daniell's, in an editorial:

The Foolish Federation of Venice Civic Associations. It sponsored annexation as a panacea for all of our ills and served as a magnet which drew to itself all the dissatisfaction.

Now, with their end achieved, the Association is splitting part. There was a hysterical elation which followed the annexation victory and the Federation basked in that glory. Its leader was acclaimed and showered with emoluments. The Federation inflated its chest and strutted about, making much of its own importance.

The rather wild eyed president of the Association adopted Star Chamber methods to purge those he found unsympathetic with his own ideas. Members were thrown out, threatened to sue, and were allowed to rejoin. Now the president himself has been pulled down from his pedestal. It is alleged that he is not a citizen.

Now, a new organization, the Venice Businessman's Association, has been formed and is leaving the Federation to seek an accommodation with Los
Angeles.

December 15, 1925

The businessmen are meeting to talk about the commercial distress confronting them in the wake f annexation. The interests are crippled by the ban against dancing, games of chance, and minors on the dancing floors. Merchants say that Los Angeles with her blue laws will be their ruin. Venetians will circulate an initiative petition which will either result in L.A. creating a special amusement zone in Venice for Saturday dancing, or force a vote of the entire electorate on the question. This course was advised by Charles Lyon, State Senator and former Venice City Attorney.

January 8, 1930

Myrna Loy is in support of Pauline Fredericks in the new film "Evidence, produced by Warner Brothers - Vitophone. She studied dancing with Ruth St. Denis in Los Angeles.

January 9, 1930

A mass meeting of Venice property owes supported drilling for oil everywhere on residentially zoned lots. when the large audience of about 2,000 was asked to rise if they supported the proposition "the crowd jumped to its feet as one".

January 10, 1930

A great crowd packed the City Planning Commission hearing on il, supporting oil drilling on residential lots. The only opposition to this move to permit drilling anywhere in the area came from Playground and Recreation Commission which opposed the drilling, saying it would ruin the beaches for all the people of Los Angeles.

January aa, 1930

George Hjelte, Superintendent of the Los angles Playground and Recreation Commission, has resigned to take a better job in New York State.

For more information, feel free to contact the Foundation at 
aspringer@ulanbatoronline.org