Venice History: How the Town was Born

Venice, FL is known today as one of the most sought after areas to live in the entire state.

With a charming downtown, idyllic white sand beaches and multiple different styles of architecture to be found throughout, this beachside town offers retirees, families and young professionals alike a beautiful place to live with lots to do. 

But this coastal town also has a rich history that goes back over a hundred years to its foundation in the late 1800s. Read on to learn more about the history of Venice, FL.

Venice, FL Foundations

Originally settled in the 1800s under the name Horse and Chaise due to a cluster of trees that looked like a horse and buggy, the full potential of this town was realized by the “Father of Venice”, Frank Higel, who established the first post office.

Higel was so struck by the similarities this Florida area shared with his hometown of Venice, Italy that he named it after the popular City of Canals in 1888 with this post office, under the first postmaster Darwin Curry.

By 1911, the town had a railroad running through it that stopped at the now historic Venice Train Station, making way for further developments.

Venice, FL Continues To Grow

In 1925, a well known orthopedic surgeon from New York named Fred Albee bought nearly 3,000 acres of land in the area and commissioned world-famous city planner John Nolen to design what would become the city we recognize today. 

Venice, FL then received its first paved road in 1926, and continued to expand from there when it was incorporated as a township in 1927.

While it took a few years to take hold, this expansion — along with the railroad — brought the population up from just under 900 in 1950 to almost 10,000 in 1957, and then to nearly 30,000 in 1962. 

This was also partially due to the arrival of the Ringling Brothers Barnum & Bailey Circus, who made Venice, FL their headquarters in the early 1960s, and brought nearly 10,000 people to the town upon the performance of their first show!

Venice, FL’s Ongoing Legacy

Venice, FL continues to grow to this day with many people still moving to the area to take advantage of its gorgeous beaches, multiple historic sites and beautiful downtown.

Be sure to go for a walking tour of this historic town and visit the multiple museums and galleries in the area to take in the rich history of this still growing city.

Are you looking to live in this historic area of Florida? Contact Gulf Shores Realty today to find your dream home in Venice, FL!